Shyam Sunder Flowers Shop

We are tucked away behind the Host Inn Hotel, right near the Marol Fire Petrol Pump in Andheri East. It’s a busy spot because of the hotel and the petrol pump, so there’s always a car idling nearby. Shyam Sunder Flowers Shop isn't the easiest to find if you aren't looking, but we’ve been here long enough that most locals know the way. The air around here usually smells like a mix of petrol and jasmine, which is a bit strange but you get used to it. We spend our mornings sorting through the bundles that come in from the wholesale market. The quality varies, so we have to spend a lot of time picking out the bruised petals. It’s a lot of sitting on low stools and threading needles for the heavier garlands. My fingers are often sore by the time we close up for the night. We don't have a lot of space for fancy decorations, so we just line up the buckets along the wall. The light in this alley isn't great, but we make do with a few overhead bulbs. It gets quite hot in the afternoon, so we’re always splashing water around to keep the temperature down for the plants. We just focus on the daily tasks and making sure we don’t run out of string or wrapping paper. It’s a simple operation here in Andheri East, nothing more than a place where we work with our hands.