Sriji Ojarwala

Being located at Sarad Chamber on Savjibhai Street Corner in Soni Bazaar means there is never a quiet moment. Sriji Ojarwala is right in the middle of all that noise and bustle. It’s a busy corner where people are always rushing past. We deal with tools and equipment, mostly the kind of things people in this trade need every single day. Our shop isn't very large, but we try to keep everything where we can find it, even if it looks a bit cluttered to an outsider. Soni Bazaar has its own rhythm, and we’ve been part of it for a long time. You hear the sounds of gold work and people haggling all day long. Sometimes we just sit on the stools outside the shop when it’s slow, watching the rickshaws squeeze through the narrow lanes. We don't spend money on big signs or fancy lights. People find us because they know where the corner is. Dealing with tools means our hands are usually a bit dirty by lunch. We open early when the market starts waking up and close when the street lights finally flicker on. It’s a simple way of making a living. We know the other shopkeepers around Savjibhai Street, and we all just try to get through the day's business. It’s cramped, busy, and loud, but it’s where we belong.