Naresh Kumar Jutti Maker

Naresh Kumar Jutti Maker is a small shop located at number 1067 in Kucha 14. This is right in the middle of Field Ganj in Ludhiana. If you know this area, you know the lanes are very thin and always crowded with people. I spend most of my day sitting on a small stool or on the floor, working with leather and thread. Making a jutti takes time and my hands are usually a bit stained from the materials. There are pieces of leather and patterns scattered all over the workbench. It is quiet work compared to the noise of the street outside. People walk past the window all day, and some stop in to ask if their shoes are ready. I have been doing this in Ward 39 for a long time. It is a tradition in this part of Punjab, and everyone has their own way of stitching. My shop isn't very big, so every corner is filled with tools or finished pairs of shoes. Sometimes it gets a bit dark in the back, so I have to use a small lamp to see the fine details. The smell of glue and leather is always there. It is just me and the work most of the time. I don't use fancy machines, just my hands and a few simple needles. People in the neighborhood know where to find me when they need something specific. It is a slow process, but it is what I know how to do.