Ganga Jamuna Saraswati

Our shop, Ganga Jamuna Saraswati, is located at 123-J right near the Hathipole Gate. If you’ve ever been to Hathipole, you know how crazy it gets. It’s one of the busiest parts of the city. There are rickshaws, tourists, and cows all trying to use the same narrow road. Being 'K Saamne' or right in front of the gate means we see everything. The noise is constant. I can barely hear myself think sometimes when the horns are going off. We’ve been at this spot for years. The shop is old, and the wooden counters have been smoothed down by years of people leaning on them. We sell a bit of everything, mostly things people need for their homes or for gifts. It’s a tight squeeze inside. We have things stacked all the way to the ceiling. I’m usually climbing up and down to get items for customers. My hands are always a bit dusty. We don't have a website or anything like that. People just see the sign and walk in. It’s a very traditional way of doing things. Hathipole has a lot of history, and we feel like a small part of it. The evenings are the most intense when the lights come on and the crowds get thicker. It’s exhausting but it’s what we know. We close up late and walk home through the quiet streets.