The Kashmir Fruit Mart

The Kashmir Fruit Mart is at Shop No 75 on MG Road in the Hazratganj area. This part of Lucknow is always moving, and being right opposite the Hanuman Mandir means we see a lot of activity every single day. The 226001 pin code is a very central spot, so there is never really a quiet moment. We spend a lot of time handling crates and making sure the fruit is laid out correctly. The smell of the produce is very strong in the small shop space, especially when the weather is warm. We have some old wooden racks and a few scales that have been with us for years. The temple across the street brings in a lot of people, and we can hear the prayers and bells throughout the day. Hazratganj has a specific energy to it that you only understand if you work here. It involves a lot of lifting and moving heavy boxes from the trucks to the shop floor. The floors are often a bit damp from the cleaning we do to keep things fresh. We don't have any air conditioning, just the open front to let the breeze in from MG Road. It is a simple life of managing stock and watching the traffic go by outside the temple. We just focus on the work and keep the shop running as best as we can.