Ashok Kumar & Company

Our shop is number A1 in the New Anaj Mandi. Being the first shop in the row means we get a lot of the initial traffic when the gates open. It is a loud place to work, honestly. Between the tractors honking and the laborers shouting to be heard over the noise, there is never a dull moment. We have a small desk where we keep all the ledgers. Everything is still written down by hand mostly because that is how we have always done it. The floor is concrete and always has a bit of grain scattered around no matter how much we sweep. People come in to settle accounts or just to sit for a minute under the fan. We serve a lot of tea here. It is just the way business is done in the Mandi. You talk for ten minutes about the rain or the heat before you even mention the work. Ashok is usually around somewhere, either on the phone or checking the bags. The space is cramped because we try to fit as much as we can inside. During the peak season, you can barely walk through the aisles. It gets very hot in the afternoons, and the metal roof doesn't help much. We just keep the doors open and wait for the evening breeze. It is a simple operation, really. We just buy and sell and try to keep things honest with everyone who walks in. We have been here for years.