Al Shaikhan Zari Arts

You can find us in Kurla West, over at Pathanwadi in the Maqsood Estate. It’s a bit of a maze to get here if you don’t know the area, but we’re tucked away in one of the galleries. We focus on zari arts, which is traditional work that takes a lot of time and patience. The workshop is usually filled with the sound of needles and people chatting while they work. It’s not a quiet place, but it’s a productive one. We have frames set up all over the room, and there’s thread and beads everywhere you look. We’ve been doing this for years, passed down through the family mostly. We don't have a fancy storefront or a big website. Most people just come by the estate when they need some work done for a wedding or a special outfit. We just sit on the floor or on low stools and get to it. Sometimes the lighting isn't great, so we have to move closer to the windows. It’s honest, manual work. We aren't trying to be a big fashion house. We just want to make sure the embroidery looks good and the customer is happy when they pick it up. It’s a small operation, but it keeps us busy and we like what we do. It’s hard work on the eyes, but the results are worth it.