Shree Sagar

If you find yourself at Mumbai Central, you might end up near P R Lane. That’s where Shree Sagar is, right at the 3rd Cross, number 3. It’s a small place, really. We spend a lot of time just making tea and watching the commuters rush by. Being near the station means everything has to happen fast. People don’t have time to wait around. We get the shutters up early when it’s still a bit dark out. The air is always a bit heavy with the smell of the city and the frying pans. We have a few tables, but they fill up quick. It’s not a place where you’d stay for hours. You come in, eat, and go. I usually handle the counter, and the guys in the back keep the snacks coming. We’ve seen the neighborhood change a bit, but the lane stays the same. Narrow and crowded. We try to keep the place tidy, but with so many people coming in and out, it’s a constant job. There’s no big secret to what we do. We just turn up, cook what needs to be cooked, and close up when the sun goes down. It’s honest work, and it keeps us busy enough. The 3rd Cross is a tight spot, but we’ve made it work for ourselves over the years. Most days we are just cleaning the glass and checking the stock.