Surjeet Halwai

Our place, Surjeet Halwai, is located on Railway Road in Jagraon, right near Narula Studio. It’s a busy street, and we’ve been part of the noise here for quite a while. Being a halwai means our day starts way before the sun comes up. We’re usually already stirring large vats of milk or kneading dough while the rest of Jagraon is still asleep. The shop isn't anything spectacular to look at, just a functional space where we make our sweets and snacks. People come in from the Railway Road traffic to grab something quick or to talk about a big family function they have coming up. We don't use any high-tech machines; it’s mostly just us using the same old techniques we learned from the people who did this before us. Sometimes the floor is a bit sticky and the air is thick with steam, but that’s the reality of a working kitchen. We’ve seen the neighborhood change over the years, but the way we cook hasn't shifted much. We like being near the station because there’s always someone new passing by, along with our regulars who have been coming for decades. We don't spend money on ads or flyers. We just try to make the food taste right and keep our workspace clean enough to get the job done. It's a simple life, focused on sugar, flour, and fire. We are just here doing our job near the studio.