Pahwa Pagdi Store

My shop, Pahwa Pagdi Store, is located in the middle of Sarafa Market in Aminabad. If you know Lucknow, you know how busy this area gets, especially near Aminabad Road. I’ve been sitting here for years, surrounded by all the hustle and bustle of the market. People come to me when there is a wedding in the family or if they need a turban for a special function. It’s not just about selling cloth, it’s about making sure the pagdi looks right on the person’s head. Sometimes the colors don't match perfectly at first, so we spend time looking through what we have. I try to keep different types of fabrics, some stiff, some soft. The shop is small and it can get quite cramped when more than two people walk in at the same time. There are piles of cloth everywhere and sometimes it’s hard to find a place to sit. But that is how it has always been here. I don't use any fancy computers to track things, it is all in my head and some old notebooks I keep on the counter. People from all over the city find their way to this corner of Lucknow just because they know we have been here for a long time. It isn't a modern showroom with bright lights. It’s just a place with shelves full of cloth and a ceiling fan that makes a bit of noise while we talk to the customers.