Matindra Enterprise

If you have ever been to the New Bombey Market in Umerwada, you know how crazy it gets around Sahara Darwaja. Our shop, Matindra Enterprise, is at number 510. It’s right in the middle of all that chaos. Every morning is the same routine, navigating through the handcarts and the crowds just to get the lock open. The space isn't huge, so we have to use every inch of the walls for storage. We mostly deal with fabrics and different types of materials that come in from the mills. There is always a smell of new cloth in the air here. I usually sit at the small wooden desk near the front with my ledger and a calculator that’s missing a button. We don't really bother with flashy displays because people who come to this market already know what they are looking for. The stairs in this building are a bit narrow and steep, which makes moving heavy rolls of fabric a real workout. We get thirsty constantly, so there is always a water jug nearby for anyone to use. We have been in this same spot for years and the guys in the neighboring shops are like family now. We share snacks and complain about the traffic together. It’s a loud place, but you get used to the shouting and the horns after a while. It’s just how things work in the market and we are part of it.