Alisha Beauty Parlour

Our little place, Alisha Beauty Parlour, is tucked away in Om Plaza over in Sector 17, Indira Nagar. Being in Lucknow, especially this part of Indira Nagar, means there is always something happening outside. We've been here for a few years now. The shop isn't anything like those big luxury places you see in the malls. It is just a small room with mirrors and some basic equipment. I usually start the day by cleaning the mirrors and checking if we have enough thread and wax left. Sometimes the power goes out in the afternoon, so we just sit and chat with whoever is in the chair until it comes back. That is just how it goes here. Most of our ladies come from the nearby houses. They know us by name and often bring their kids along. It gets a bit noisy when three or four people are waiting in such a small space. We don't have a receptionist, so if the phone rings while I am busy, it just rings. We try to keep the place looking decent with some posters on the wall, but they are getting a bit old now. It feels more like a home than a business most of the time. We know who likes what and who is getting married in the neighborhood. It is a quiet kind of work, mostly. We just stay open until the market starts to close up for the night.