Ashok Khamkar Masala

Our little shop is right in the middle of Lal Baug, at Shop No. 1 in Raja New Market. If you know Parel at all, you know how busy Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Road gets every day. It’s a constant flow of traffic and people. We have been sitting here in the heart of all that activity, selling our masalas. The air around our shop always has a strong smell of chilies, coriander, and turmeric. It’s a smell that sticks to your clothes. We don't have a corporate look or a polished storefront. It is a traditional market stall, packed from floor to ceiling with different spices. People come from all over the city, especially when the big festivals are around. Lal Baug is famous for its markets, and we are just one small part of that old history. We spend our time weighing out powders and mixing special blends for customers who have been coming to see us for years. We know exactly what they are looking for. It is a lot of manual work, using scoops and small bags. The shop is quite small, so we have to stay organized with our inventory. We don't do any big marketing or advertising campaigns. The spices do the work for us. When people walk through Raja New Market, they know exactly where to find us. It’s a simple way to live, but we take pride in what we do.