Vinayak Chikan

Down at No. 414/58 in Sarai Mali Khan Chowk, you'll find our little place, Vinayak Chikan. This part of the city is always crowded and full of life. We work with the traditional handwork that people around here have done for generations. It’s mostly about the thread and the needle. We spend a lot of time checking the fine stitches on the white cloth. It’s dusty work sometimes because of the street outside. We have piles of kurtas and fabric stacked up against the walls. The lighting isn't always the best, so we sit near the front when we can. It’s not a corporate setup at all. It’s just us and the artisans who bring their work in. We talk about the patterns and how the flowers should look. Some days are slower than others. We drink a lot of chai while we wait for deliveries. The Chowk is a maze, but people know where the good work is done. We don’t do much advertising because the work speaks for itself usually. It takes a long time to finish one piece, so you have to be patient. We’ve seen a lot of changes in the market over the years, but the basic handwork stays the same. That is what we do every day. We just try to keep the tradition going while paying our bills.