Navin Khatri

My small shop is Gala Number 4 in the Ganesh Bhai Chawl, located in the Rawal Pada area of Dahisar. It is a very local neighborhood, and most of the people who walk past are neighbors I have known for years. The gala isn't very big, so I have to be careful about how I arrange everything inside to make sure there is enough room to move around. It gets quite hot during the middle of the day, especially since the roof is low, so I usually keep a small table fan running right next to me. The area near Adarsh Mandal is always active with kids playing or people going to the local markets. I spend a lot of my time just sitting at the front of the shop, waiting for customers and watching the world go by on the street. It’s a simple routine—open up early in the morning, sweep the front, and get to work on whatever needs doing that day. The walls could use a fresh coat of paint, and the floor is a bit uneven, but it has been my place of work for a long time. People stop by not just to buy things but often just to say hello or talk about the weather. It is a quiet life in this part of Dahisar, away from the main highway noise. I just keep the shop running as best as I can, following the same schedule day after day without much change.