Jeevan Dass Ashok Kumar

Jeevan Dass Ashok Kumar has been in the same spot for a very long time. We’re located at 1100/7 in Kucha Natwa, right near the Town Hall in Laxmi Market. This part of Chandni Chowk is always packed. The lanes are narrow, the crowds are thick, and the noise never really stops until very late at night. Our shop is old, with thick walls and high ceilings that have seen decades of history. We don’t have air conditioning, just some old ceiling fans that whir away all day. The inventory is stacked high, sometimes almost to the roof, and we use long poles to get things down for customers. It’s a traditional way of doing business that hasn't changed much since my grandfather’s time. We deal with all sorts of people, from wholesalers to locals just looking for a single item. It’s a lot of talking and a lot of tea. Someone is always bringing over a cup of chai from the stall around the corner. We don't have a computer system to track everything; we still use paper ledgers and pens. It might seem slow to some people, but it works for us. The market is our home. We know the other shopkeepers and we look out for each other. It’s a bit chaotic, sure, but that’s just how Chandni Chowk is. We wouldn't know how to work anywhere else.