Pathak Sweets & Vegetable

Being at shops 26 and 27 in Talwandi Tulsi Market means we see the whole neighborhood wake up every single day. Pathak Sweets & Vegetable is always a bit of a scramble in the early morning hours when the trucks bring in the fresh produce. We spend time sorting through the greens and making sure the vegetables are stacked neatly out front so people can see what’s good. At the same time, the back part of the shop is getting started with the sweets, and you can smell the sugar and milk boiling from down the block. Tulsi Market is a busy place, and being right in the middle of it means there is never a quiet moment. We have our regulars who come in for their daily vegetables and maybe a box of something sweet for their families. The floors are concrete and we’re constantly sweeping them because of all the foot traffic. We don’t have any fancy displays; it’s just the crates of food and the glass cases for the sweets. Some days the heat in the market is pretty intense, but we just keep the fans going and keep working. It’s a simple life here in Talwandi, just providing what the neighbors need for their kitchens and their celebrations. We’ve gotten used to the noise of the market and the way the light hits the storefront in the evening after a long day of work.