Chamunda Sweet Mart

Chamunda Sweet Mart is out in Vadhu. It’s a smaller place compared to the shops in the big city. We are on a quiet road where everyone knows each other. The shop is just a single room with a counter and a few shelves. We make sweets that the local people like for their festivals and daily snacks. I usually start the fires early in the morning to get the milk thickening. It takes a long time and you have to keep stirring it so it doesn't burn. The walls of the shop are painted a light yellow and we have a calendar hanging by the door. We don't get a lot of strangers passing through, it’s mostly just the same neighbors every day. Sometimes the power goes out and we have to use candles, which makes the shadows look long on the walls. We keep the sweets in glass jars on the shelves. They are heavy jars and I have to be careful not to drop them. My son helps me out after he gets back from his work. We talk about the day while we clean the counters. It isn't a fancy business with big advertisements. We just have our name on the board outside and a bench for people to sit on while they wait. It’s a peaceful way to make a living and we are happy staying here in Vadhu. We just do what needs doing every day.