Alma Zari Art

You have to walk through the busy lanes of Chandni Chowk to find us. We are on the first floor at 5937. Alma Zari Art is a small space filled with thread, beads, and the sound of needles clicking. It’s a very old part of Delhi, and our building has that weathered look that comes with age. Up here on the first floor, it’s a bit quieter than the street below, but you can still hear the rickshaws and the shouting of the vendors. We do a lot of handwork, and it’s slow, patient labor. There are no machines doing the hard part here. It is just people sitting together and working on fabric. The light in the shop isn't always the best, so we huddle near the windows when we can. We don't have a big sign or a fancy entrance. You just have to know which stairs to climb. We’ve been doing zari work for a long time, passing the skills down. It’s not a glamorous job, and your eyes get tired after a few hours of looking at tiny patterns. But there is a rhythm to it that we like. We drink a lot of tea to stay focused. Chandni Chowk is a maze, and we are just one small part of it, tucked away above the noise, focusing on the threads in front of us.