Nee Vaishno Hotel

Our place is called Nee Vaishno Hotel. We are located at 107/3, Jarib Chauki, right on G.T. Road in Kanpur. It is a very busy spot because we are right at the Jarib Chawki Chauraha. There is always trucks and rickshaws going past, so it is never quiet. We have been here for quite some time. The building is older, and you can see the wear on the floor tiles. We serve vegetarian food because that is what we know. My father started this place, and I have been helping out since I was a teenager. We do not have any air conditioning, just a few ceiling fans that spin all day long. The dust from the road is a bit of a problem, so we spend a lot of time cleaning. We get a lot of travelers who are passing through Kanpur and need a quick meal. It is a very basic setup. We have wooden benches and a big counter where we take the money. The kitchen is at the back, and you can always smell the spices being fried. We do not have a printed menu; we just tell people what we have made for the day. It depends on what looked good at the vegetable market that morning. We just keep things simple. It is a lot of work, and the hours are long, but it is a living. We know most of the other shopkeepers around the crossroads.