Monalisa Arts & Pack

If you ever find yourself wandering through the narrow lanes of Chandni Chowk, you might stumble upon 2642 Pipple Wali. That’s where we are. It’s a crowded area, even for Old Delhi standards, and the smell of street food is always floating around. Monalisa Arts & Pack has been operating out of this small space for a while. We handle a lot of different artsy materials and packaging stuff. It’s mostly stacks of paper, boxes, and decorative things piled up high. The stairs up to the shop are a bit steep and narrow, so you have to be careful when you’re carrying a heavy roll of paper. I spend a lot of time just sorting through the new stock that comes in through the galli. It’s noisy outside with the laborers and the shoppers constantly moving, but inside it’s just the sound of tape and paper being moved around. We don’t have much room for a proper office, so I usually just use a small wooden desk in the corner for everything. It’s dusty work, and my hands are usually covered in some sort of ink or glue by the time the sun goes down. Chandni Chowk is a tough place to work because it’s so hot in the summer, but this shop is where we belong. We just keep our heads down and get the work done for anyone who walks through the door.