Swaleha Glass Cafe

Our little spot, Swaleha Glass Cafe, is tucked away in Shaheen Bagh. The address is No-F-39/35, right in the Abul Fazal Enclave Part 2 area. It’s a busy part of Jamia Nagar and Okhla, so there is always noise from the street outside. We deal with glass mostly. It’s a tricky thing to work with because it breaks so easily if you aren't paying attention. The shop isn't very large, so we have to be careful how we stack everything. Usually, there are three or four of us around, moving sheets of glass or cutting things to size for whoever walks in. It gets pretty crowded in the enclave during the evenings when everyone is out. Sometimes the delivery rickshaws get stuck in the narrow lanes near the shop. We just go out and help them navigate. We’ve been here in Okhla for some time now and most of the neighbors know us. It’s not the kind of place where you’ll find fancy furniture or air conditioning that works all the time. We just have our tools, some glass, and a lot of patience. Dealing with the public in such a crowded area means you meet all kinds of people every day. Some days are long and we don't finish until late, especially when a big order needs to be ready for the next morning. It is just our daily life here in Shaheen Bagh and we do what we can.