Nand Ram Jiwan Ram Halwai

Over in Maliwara, at 1840, you’ll find Nand Ram Jiwan Ram Halwai. Chandni Chowk is a maze, and we are tucked right into it. The building at 1840 is old, and you can feel it in the thick walls. We’ve been in this spot for a long time. The work is mostly about the fire and the big pans. It gets incredibly hot in the back, especially during the summer months. We don’t have much space to move around, so we have to be organized. There are stacks of containers and bags of ingredients everywhere. The street outside is narrow, so the noise of the rickshaws and people talking is always there. We don't have a fancy storefront. It’s just the counter and the products laid out. We spend a lot of time cleaning the soot off the ceiling. Our hands are usually busy with something, whether it's mixing or packing. The lighting is a bit dim inside, but we know where everything is by heart. People find us because they know the address or they just follow the smell of the cooking. We don’t bother with much decoration. The focus is just on the daily production. We start early, around five, and the work doesn't really stop until we close the heavy doors at night. It’s a simple life here in the heart of old Delhi. We’ve seen many neighbors come and go while we stayed put.