Shri Rohini Namkin

It gets quite hot in the back when we start the fryers early in the morning here at Ranakpur New Abadi. Shri Rohini Namkin is just a small spot, really. We spend most of our time just getting the batches of namkeen ready before the sun gets too high. The floor is usually a bit slippery from the oil even though we scrub it down every night. People from around the neighborhood stop by, some just to say hello while they’re out on their morning walk. We don’t have much in the way of fancy chairs or anything, just the counter and the bags piled up. Sometimes the bags don't get sealed perfectly straight, but that’s just how it goes when you’re doing it all by hand. The smell of the spices stays in your clothes all day, even after you go home. My hands are always stained a little yellow from the turmeric. We try to keep things simple and just focus on making enough for the day. Sometimes we run out of things by the afternoon, especially on the weekends when people are visiting family. The street outside can get a bit dusty when the wind picks up, so we spend a lot of time wiping down the glass cases. It’s not a glamorous job, but it keeps us busy and we know everyone around here by their first name now. We've been at this for a while and don't plan on changing much.