New Gouri Textiles

You can find us at No. 9 Sir Hariram Goenka Street, right in the middle of the Bara Bazar area. If you’ve ever been to this part of Royapettah, you know how crowded and loud it gets. Our shop, New Gouri Textiles, is just one of many in these narrow lanes, but we like it here. There are rolls of fabric stacked up to the ceiling and barely enough room for two people to pass each other in the aisles. It stays pretty warm inside because of all the people and the lack of a good breeze. We spend our days measuring out meters of cloth and cutting them for customers who come from all over. It’s a fast-paced environment and you have to be quick on your feet. I’ve been working in Bara Bazar for years and I still get lost in the side streets sometimes. We don't bother with fancy displays or mannequins in the window. The fabric speaks for itself once you feel the weight of it in your hands. There is always a lot of shouting and haggling going on outside our door, which is just part of the daily routine. We open up early to beat the worst of the heat and stay until the shutters go down late at night. It’s a tiring job but I wouldn't know what else to do with my time. It's just life.