Alok Kumar

I’m Alok Kumar and I run my business out of No. 96 in Sulteen Ganj, right by the Purani Aaloo Mandi. This area is always full of big trucks and people buying and selling all sorts of things. It’s a lively and loud place to be. I do mostly wholesale work here. I deal with a lot of different vendors who come in from out of town with their goods. My office is just a small room with a simple desk and a few plastic chairs for visitors. There’s always a glass of water ready for whoever stops by to talk. I’ve been in this trade for a long time, following what my father and grandfather did before me. I spend a lot of time on the phone negotiating prices and checking on the status of deliveries. The air around the Mandi always smells like vegetables and damp earth. It’s not a clean or polished environment, but it’s where the real business happens every day. I keep my books by hand mostly in these thick registers. I find it easier to remember things that way. Sometimes the electricity goes out for hours and we just sit in the dark for a bit until it comes back on. It’s just part of being in this neighborhood. I know almost everyone on this block. We help each other out when someone’s truck is stuck or if they need a hand with a heavy load. It’s a hard way to earn.