Beauty Care Parlour

Our shop is at 625 Old Katra in Allahabad. It’s an old building, and we are right near Janta Vastralaya, which is a big name around here. The area is always crowded with shoppers and students from the university nearby. We have a small sign outside, but most people know where we are just by walking past. The room inside is long and narrow. We have a few chairs lined up against the wall. The paint is peeling a little near the ceiling, but we try to keep the work area tidy. We do a lot of basic beauty work, mostly for the women who live in the surrounding lanes. It’s not a place where you come for a fancy makeover, just for the regular things like hair oiling or a simple cut. We have a big water jug in the corner for anyone who is thirsty. The sounds of the market—people haggling and rickshaws honking—come right through the door. We don't mind it; it’s just the sound of Old Katra. We’ve known some of our customers since they were little girls, and now they bring their own children in. It’s a nice feeling to be part of the neighborhood for so long. We just keep doing our work, day after day, and keep the place going even when the crowd outside gets overwhelming. There is always a fresh stack of towels ready on the shelf.