Kerala Arts

Main Bazar is always a bit of a squeeze, especially near Shop No. 5136 where we are located. Kerala Arts is tucked in there on Shakarpur Road, right opposite the Desu building. It gets very crowded with people shopping and bikes trying to get through the narrow lanes. Our shop isn't huge, but we managed to fit a lot of items on the walls and in the glass cases. There is a lot of wood carving and small statues everywhere you look. Sometimes it feels like there isn't enough light in the back of the shop, but we have a few extra bulbs we turn on when someone wants to see a piece up close. We spend a lot of time talking to the other shopkeepers nearby while we wait for customers. It’s a community where everyone knows everyone else’s business. We don't do any big marketing; we just rely on the fact that we've been here and people know they can find us on the way through the bazar. The dust from the road is a constant battle, so we are always wiping down the shelves with old yellow cloths to keep the carvings clean. It’s a noisy, busy place to work, but it keeps us on our toes throughout the day. We just focus on the items we have and try to make sure we don't trip over the boxes in the middle of the floor when we are moving things around for customers.