Shivam Snacks Centre

Started at Gaurav Appt a long time back. It's right there at Swami Vivekanand Chowk where all the buses pass. Most mornings start with the same sound of the heavy metal shutter going up. It’s a bit rusty so it makes a lot of noise. I usually start the day by cleaning the counter before the first person shows up for a snack. We mostly deal with people from around Azadwadi who are heading to work and need something quick to eat. The kitchen area is small and gets really hot by noon, especially when the big pans are going. We don't have a lot of seats, so people usually just stand around outside or take things away in paper bags. My nephew helps me out with the frying while I handle the counter and talk to the regulars. Some of the older guys come by every single day just to check the news and have a snack. We go through a lot of flour and oil in a week. Sometimes the power goes out and we have to use candles, which makes everything look different. It’s just a normal shop, nothing special to look at from the outside. We keep the floor swept but it gets messy again pretty fast with all the foot traffic. When the monsoon hits, the water splashes up from the road right to our doorstep. We just keep working through it all. It’s what we know how to do here in Kothrud.