Brahmbhatt Alkaben

You can find us over at the Shri Mahavir Textile Market in Amroli. We are in unit A 4, which is right in the thick of things. If you have ever been to the textile markets in Surat, you know exactly what it’s like. It is loud, there are people moving rolls of fabric everywhere, and there is never enough space. We’ve been here in Amroli for some time now. Our spot is not very big, but we make it work. Most days it’s just a lot of checking orders and making sure the stock is where it should be. The dust from the fabrics gets everywhere, so we are always dusting off the table. It’s hard work and the days are long, especially when new shipments come in and we have to squeeze everything into A 4. We don't have fancy chairs or a big desk. Usually, we just sit on the stools and drink our tea while we talk to the guys in the neighboring units. It’s a community of sorts, everyone knows everyone else’s business. Sometimes the elevators in the market are broken, so we end up carrying things up and down, which is a real workout. We don't do much in the way of decoration; the walls are just covered with samples and old calendars. It is just a regular market life, nothing special to write home about, just keeping the business going one day at a time while handling the noise.