Shanjay Kumar

Shanjay Kumar is the name behind the shop here in Lohanipur. It is officially called Raj Mens Parlour, located on Lt Rambabu East. Patna is a crowded place and our little corner in Lohanipur is no different. You can hear the sounds of the street all day long. Inside, we have the old-style barber chairs that have seen a lot of use over the years. I spend most of my time standing and working with the clippers or the straight razor. The mirror has a few scratches, but you can see your reflection well enough. Customers usually come in after work or on their day off. They sit on the wooden bench while they wait their turn. Sometimes the power goes out, and we have to open the door wide to let the light in. The floor is tiled, and I try to keep it clean, but hair gets everywhere by five in the evening. There is a small shelf where we keep the aftershave and the talcum powder. It smells like lemon and menthol in here most of the time. People know us because we have been in this spot for a good while. We don't have fancy lights or air conditioning, just a couple of ceiling fans that hum. It is a simple life running a parlor in this part of Patna, but it keeps us busy and connected to the people around here.