Taj Wale

Taj Wale is located at 2916-17, Lal Darwaza, in the Sirki Walan area. Being in this part of the city means we are surrounded by a lot of history and very narrow lanes. It’s crowded, loud, and full of energy every single day. Our shop is old-fashioned, with wooden shelves that have seen better days and a ceiling that is a bit uneven. We don't mind, though, because it has character. We deal with traditional items, and most of our customers are people who have been coming to this market since they were kids. It’s the kind of place where you stop to have a cup of tea while you talk about the order. We don't have any computers on the front counter; everything is still mostly done with pens and paper ledgers. The stock is piled up pretty high, so you have to know exactly where to look to find what you need. Sometimes the electricity goes out and we just light a few lamps and keep going. It’s a slow-paced way of doing things compared to the big malls, but we like it that way. We aren't trying to change the world or anything like that. We just want to keep the shop running and make sure the people who come in find what they are looking for. It's a simple life in a very busy neighborhood. It gets dark early in the alleys, but we stay open until the last customer leaves.