Mansi Gola Center

If you walk down Nagpur Chawl Road in Shastrinagar, you will find us at 191/A. It’s a busy spot in Yerawada where people are always on the move. We’ve been running this gola center for a long time now. It’s mostly about the ice and the flavors we have on the shelf. In the afternoons when the sun is really hitting the pavement, that is when things get busy. Kids come by after school and workers stop on their way home. We don’t have fancy seating or air conditioning. It’s just a counter and the sound of the ice machine grinding away. Sometimes the lines get long, but we try to keep it moving fast. My hands are usually cold from the ice, even in the middle of summer. We go through a lot of syrup every day. Living and working in Yerawada means you know all the neighbors. People stop by just to chat sometimes even if they aren't buying anything. The shop isn't very big, but it serves the purpose. We keep the place clean and make sure the ice is fresh. It’s a simple life, really. We open up in the morning and stay late into the evening. You can hear the traffic from the main road all day. We just stay focused on the cup in front of us. On Sundays, we spend time cleaning the whole place and fixing any leaks in the pipes. It’s hard work, but we take pride in it.