Sri Balaji Masale

You can find us right at Kali Mandir Chowk in Bairgania. Since we are on the Railway Station Road, the street is always busy with travelers and locals. Our place, Sri Balaji Masale, sits right near the Kali Mandir, so the sound of temple bells is a constant for us. Usually, the air around here smells like turmeric and coriander from all the spice bags we handle. This small shop is our main workspace, and it gets a bit messy during stock unloading. Forget about a fancy showroom; we just use shelves and sacks stacked against the walls. Many people in the neighborhood know us by face since we’ve been here so long. My nephew does most of the heavy lifting, while an older man comes in the mornings for cleaning. Doors open early and don't close until the evening light fades. Dust from the road is a bit of a problem, so the counters need a lot of wiping. Instead of using big machines or software, we stick to our hand-written ledgers and talk to people face-to-face. Even though the chowk is loud and crowded, it feels like the right place for us. We just focus on keeping the spices fresh and making sure the shop runs smoothly without causing any trouble for our neighbors. It is a simple life here, but we are satisfied with how things move along day by day in Bairgania.