Loknath Saloon

Nager Bazar is one of those places in Kolkata that never seems to go to sleep. My shop is at number 30, right in the thick of it. It’s a small space, and the walls have a few marks here and there from where the chairs have bumped into them over the years. I like it that way; it shows the place is used. We have the old-fashioned heavy chairs that are actually quite comfortable once you sit back. I usually have the news playing on the small television I keep up on a shelf, mostly for background noise. The smell of the shaving cream and the talc is the first thing you notice when you step inside from the street. It’s a man’s world in here, mostly talking about football or the price of fish at the market. I’ve got a couple of guys working with me, and we just get on with it. The floor gets covered in hair pretty quick, so one of us is always grabbing the broom. We aren't looking to change much. The mirrors are a bit silver-spotted at the edges, but they still show you what you need to see. Customers have been coming to this spot for years, some since they were kids and now they bring their own sons. It’s just how it goes at Loknath. We keep the water cold and the blades sharp and that's about it.