T. Prehlad Rai & Sons

T. Prehlad Rai & Sons is right in the thick of things at the New Fruit Market in Azadpur. We are at B-147, and if you know anything about the Mandi, you know it’s one of the busiest places you can find in Delhi. We start our work while most people are still fast asleep, usually around three or four in the morning. The air is cold and the lights are bright as the trucks start rolling in with crates of apples, oranges, and whatever else is in season. It’s a family business that’s been passed down, so there’s a lot of history in these walls. The floor is always covered in bits of straw and wooden slats from the crates. We don't have fancy office chairs, just some sturdy benches and a lot of tea being passed around to stay awake. It’s loud, it’s chaotic, and there is a lot of shouting as prices are settled and boxes are moved. We’ve known the other traders here for decades, and it’s a community built on handshakes and long days. We aren't looking to change how things are done; the old ways of the market work just fine for us. It’s a tough life with the long hours and the heavy lifting, but it’s what we do. By the time the rest of the city is waking up, we’ve already done a full day's work.