Aarti Beauty Parlour

I've been here at Natraj Nagar 4 for quite a while now. Most mornings start the same way, unlocking the door and getting the dust off the counters before anyone shows up. University Road is always noisy, so you hear the bikes and rickshaws going by all day long. It is just a small place, nothing fancy like those big salons you see in the malls. We have a couple of chairs and the big mirrors that have been here since we opened. People from around the neighborhood stop in, mostly for simple stuff like threading or getting their hair trimmed. Sometimes a few ladies come in together and it gets a bit loud with all the talking, but that is how it usually goes. We try to keep things tidy, but when it’s busy, there are hair clippings on the floor and towels waiting to be washed. I usually have the radio on or just talk to whoever is sitting in the chair. It’s not a complicated business. We just do the work, say hello to the regulars, and close up when the sun goes down. Rajkot gets really hot in the summer, so the fan is always running at full speed, which makes a lot of noise. If you are looking for a place that feels like a normal neighborhood shop, that is basically what we are. We don't have a big team, just a few of us making sure people leave looking a bit better than when they walked in.