The Chinar Garden (The Lalit Grand Palace Hotel)

You can find us at The Chinar Garden, which is part of The Lalit Grand Palace Hotel on Gupkar Road in Srinagar. This area is quite famous because of the history here. We are basically inside the hotel grounds, so it’s a bit different from a standalone shop on a main street. Gupkar Road is usually quiet compared to the rest of the city. We work here among the trees and the old buildings. It’s a lot of walking back and forth because the property is quite large. The garden area gets a lot of attention, especially when the weather is clear. We just focus on keeping the place running. It’s not like those modern places in the city center. This place has been around for a long time. Srinagar changes every season, so we just adapt to that. We don't really have a big speech about what we do. We just show up, look after the garden area, and help the guests who are staying at the hotel. Sometimes the winters are tough here with the snow and the cold, but we stay open as much as possible. It is just a regular job for us, even if the surroundings are a bit more traditional than most. We see a lot of people coming through who want to see the old palace architecture. Sometimes we spend hours just sweeping leaves or making sure the paths are clear for people to walk on. It’s a peaceful spot, mostly, and we just do our part to keep it that way.