Karamni Mithai

Karamni Mithai is tucked away in the Katargam Chuchappa Block in Matadahalli. We have been working out of this same space for years and not much has changed since we first started. Every morning the smell of sugar and ghee fills up the whole block and that is how people know we are open. We spend most of the day standing by the large iron pans, stirring the mixtures until they are just right. It is hard work and my back usually aches by the time evening rolls around. The floor is made of old stone and it stays cool even when the kitchen is hot. We don't have any big signs or bright lights to bring people in. People just know where we are. Often, the neighbors stop by just to chat for a bit even if they aren't buying anything that day. We keep the sweets in glass cases that I have to clean every few hours because of the fingerprints. My nephew helps me with the packing when things get busy during the festival season. We have a small radio that plays the local news while we work. It isn't a fancy place and the walls have some cracks here and there. We just focus on making things the way they have always been made in this part of town without any fuss or complicated machinery.