Al-Haj Abdul Hannan & Co.

Our place is on the first floor of the Ebrahim Building on Mohammed Ali Road. It is right in the heart of Masjid Bunder, which is a very busy area for trade in Mumbai. Al-Haj Abdul Hannan & Co. has been operating from here for a good while. The stairs up to the office are a bit steep and narrow, so you have to be careful when carrying things. Inside, it is mostly just desks and rows of files. We deal with a lot of people every day, and the phone does not stop ringing much. The street outside is always packed with trucks and handcarts moving things around. It is a noisy place, but that is the sound of the city working. We are regular people trying to keep the business running smoothly without any drama. There is nothing very modern about our office setup. We prefer the old way of doing things, keeping track of everything carefully on paper ledgers. Sometimes we have a quick lunch at our desks when things get too busy to step out. It is a tight-knit environment here. We do our jobs and then head home like everyone else. The mosque is close by, so we hear the calls to prayer throughout the day. It helps us keep track of time while we work. It’s a busy life.