Ramniklal Khumchand Jariwala

Ramniklal Khumchand Jariwala is tucked away at 104 in the Kaushal Apartment building. It is on Rangildas Mehta Street in the Gopipura area, which is one of those parts of the city that feels like it has not changed much in decades. The street is narrow, and if a big car comes through, everyone has to move out of the way. We focus on jari work, which is something our family has been involved with for a long time. The office inside the apartment is small and usually smells a bit like old paper and thread. There are spools of metallic thread sitting on the shelves, some of them gathering a bit of dust. We do not have a big storefront with glass windows. It is more of a place where people who know us come to do business. The floor is made of old tiles and the walls could probably use a fresh coat of paint, but it feels like home. Most afternoons, the sun hits the balcony just right and we take a break for some snacks. It is quiet compared to the main roads, which is nice. We spend our hours checking the quality of the work and making sure the accounts are right. It is a steady kind of life here in Gopipura. We know most of the neighbors and the shopkeepers on the street by name. It is just how things are done in this old neighborhood.