Kajal Sewing Machine

We’ve been tucked away at 30 Lakkar Bazar in Chaura Bazar for quite a while now. Most days start early before the market gets too crowded with people pushing carts and shouting. The shop, Kajal Sewing Machine, is pretty much what you’d expect from a local place. There are stacks of boxes everywhere and the smell of machine oil is just part of the air we breathe. People come in with all sorts of problems, like a jammed needle or a motor that’s finally given up after twenty years of hard work. We spend a lot of time hunched over workbenches with tiny screwdrivers. It’s not fancy work, but it keeps us busy from morning until the shutters go down at night. The fans hum overhead but they don’t do much when it’s really hot in the middle of summer. Sometimes the traffic outside gets so loud we have to shout to hear each other. We’ve got parts for old models that you can’t even find in the big stores anymore. It’s a bit messy here with thread scraps on the floor and tools scattered around, but we know where everything is. The neighbors drop by for a chat or a quick tea while we’re working on a stubborn gear. It’s a simple life, just fixing things and making sure the machines run smooth for the ladies who use them for their tailoring. It is just what we do every day.