Gian Chand Jain & Sons

Our shop, Gian Chand Jain & Sons, has been at 1623 Dariba Kalan Main Road for generations. If you know Old Delhi, you know that Dariba Kalan is famous for silver and jewelry, and we are just one of the many shops lining that narrow, busy street. It’s a very old building, and the space inside is quite small, but we have everything we need. Most of the day is spent sitting on the floor or on low stools, looking at pieces of jewelry through a magnifying glass. It’s a lot of fine work that can be hard on the eyes, especially when the light coming in from the street is blocked by the crowds. There is always a lot of shouting and the sound of bells from the rickshaws right outside our door. Sometimes it’s so crowded you can barely walk down the street, but that’s just how it is here. We have a lot of regular customers whose families have been buying from us since my grandfather’s time. We don’t really do any modern advertising; we just rely on people knowing our name and our location. It’s a very traditional way of doing things, I suppose. The shop hasn't changed much over the years, and we like it that way. We just keep doing the same work we’ve always done, day in and day out, and it feels like home to us even with all the noise outside.