Vikrant Bhalla

You can find me at E-19 in the Sutarwadi AC Market. Being inside an AC market is a bit different from having a shop on the street. It’s quieter and you don't get the dust from the cars. But it’s also a bit cramped. The shops are lined up close together, and you can hear your neighbors talking through the thin partitions. I spend most of my day in this small space. It has enough room for a chair and a display area, but not much else. The lighting is all artificial, so sometimes you forget what time it is outside until you step out for a break. People wander through the market looking for things, and they often poke their heads in just to see what’s available. I’ve decorated the walls with a few personal things just to make it feel less like a box. There’s a small rug on the floor that’s getting a bit thin in the middle. The market has its own rhythm. It’s slow in the mornings and gets quite busy after five in the evening. I usually bring my lunch from home and eat it at the small desk in the corner. It’s a decent way to work. You get to meet a lot of different people who are just out for an afternoon of shopping. It is a small world inside these market walls, but it’s mine.