Mezhbaan Masala

Our place is located in Takiya Ward, right near the Kurla Police Station in Kurla West. It’s a busy little corner of the world. The shop is at A-70, and it’s usually quite easy to find if you’re heading towards the station. We’ve got bags of different masalas sitting all over the floor because there isn't much shelf space left. It’s a bit of a squeeze when more than two people are inside at once. Most days, we are busy weighing out portions or tying up plastic bags with those tight little knots. The fans stay on all day to keep the air moving because the smell of the chillies and turmeric can get quite strong in such a small room. We don't really do much in the way of decorating. The walls could probably use a fresh coat of paint, but we’re usually too busy with the daily orders to get around to it. Sometimes the neighbors come in just to chat for a minute while they wait for their spice mix. It feels like a very local operation. We know the rhythm of the street outside, when the police shift changes and when the traffic gets bad in the evening. It’s just a normal, hardworking shop where we do our best to keep up with the demand. It's nothing fancy, just a room full of spices and a lot of work to do.