Shireen Fruit Stall

If you ever walk through Shivaji Market in Budhwar Peth, you’ll probably see us at stall number 213. Shireen Fruit Stall has been my life for a lot of years. My father was here before me, and now I’m the one waking up at four in the morning to get the fresh stock from the main market. It’s a lot of heavy lifting and the floors are always a bit damp, but that’s just how market life is. We sell whatever is in season. Right now, the mangoes are starting to come in, so things are getting very busy. People come from all over this part of Pune just to see what’s good today. I don’t use any fancy signs or advertisements. I just set the fruit out on the wooden crates and wait for the regulars. Sometimes we chat about the weather or how the prices of everything are going up. It’s a small space, barely enough room to turn around when we have all the crates stacked up. I usually have one boy helping me with the bagging and weighing. We try to keep the fruit clean and move it fast so nothing goes to waste. It's noisy here with all the other vendors shouting, but I like the energy of Budhwar Peth. It’s an honest way to spend the day and provide for the family.