Majumdar Silpalaya

Our place, Majumdar Silpalaya, is situated at 99/63 Jessore Road in Kolkata. It’s an area that is always busy with buses and cars going towards the airport. The shop has been around for a while, and the walls could probably tell a lot of stories if they could talk. We deal in things that take a bit of craft and patience. Jessore Road is long and noisy, but once you step inside, it feels a bit different. I spend a lot of time looking at the inventory and making sure everything is in its place. The damp weather in Kolkata can be tough on the shop, so I’m always checking for leaks or dust. I live nearby, so the commute is just a short walk, which I’m thankful for. My neighbors are other shopkeepers who have been here as long as I have. We share tea and complain about the road construction that never seems to end. People from 700028 come in looking for specific items they can't find in the big stores. I try to help them out as much as I can. It’s not a high-tech operation. I use an old calculator and keep my accounts in a ledger. There’s something about the smell of the shop—a mix of old paper and the wood of the counters—that I really like. It’s just a regular life here on the 99/63 block, and we are happy to be a part of it.