Vasantrai Ratilal & Co.

Vasantrai Ratilal & Co. has been operating out of 26 Chakla Street for a long time. This is in the Masjid Bunder West area, which is one of the busiest parts of the city. The street is narrow and always packed with carts, laborers, and people trying to move goods back and forth. Our building is old, and the stairs are a bit steep and worn down from years of footsteps. Inside, the atmosphere is heavy with the smell of old paper and whatever goods are being moved that week. We have large wooden cupboards that hold all our records. Everything is done in a very traditional way. We sit on cushions on the floor sometimes to go over the books, just like it was done decades ago. It’s noisy outside with the constant shouting of loaders and the honking of horns, but we are used to it. We don't have air conditioning, just the old ceiling fans that wobble a bit. People come to us because we have been here in Masjid Bunder for so long. We know the rhythm of the market and how things work here. There is no corporate ladder here, just a few of us who know the business inside and out. We drink a lot of chai and talk to the other traders on the street. It’s a life built on handshakes and staying consistent in a place that never stops moving. It isn't a fancy setup, but it’s our way of doing things.