Nisa Embroidery

We are tucked away in the Razakwadi area, specifically at No. 64/n-3. It’s on Kherwadi Road in Bandra East. It’s a bit of a maze back here in the lanes if you don't know your way around. Nisa Embroidery is just a small family workshop. We have these big wooden frames set up for all the handwork we do. The light has to be coming from just the right angle or you can't see the fine threads clearly. My eyes get a bit strained and tired by the end of a long day. We do a lot of thread work and small beads. It’s very slow work. You really can’t rush it or you make mistakes. My younger brother handles all the deliveries for us. He has an old scooter that makes a lot of noise when he starts it up. The neighborhood is always alive with kids playing and people talking across the balconies. We have one small window that looks out onto the narrow alley. It doesn't let in much fresh air but it's okay for us. We keep the floor very clean because we don't want the expensive fabric to get any stains. We drink hot tea at four o'clock every single day. It's a bit of a ritual for the whole team. The guys who do the embroidery have been doing this work since they were very young. Their hands move incredibly fast and it is impressive to see.