Hariom Gajak Bhandar

Winter is usually our busiest time at Hariom Gajak Bhandar because that’s when everyone wants gajak. We are over on Jagdish Marg, which is a decent spot with people always walking past. Making gajak takes a lot of physical work, especially the crushing and the stretching of the jaggery. You have to get the timing right or it doesn't turn out well. We do most of the work in the back room and then bring the fresh batches out to the front. The smell of roasted sesame seeds usually fills up the whole shop by midday. It’s a simple setup we have here. Just some glass counters and the scales for weighing everything out. People come in asking for a half kilo or a full kilo to take home to their families. We’ve seen kids grow up and now they bring their own kids to get sweets from us. Jagdish Marg can get a bit cramped with all the bikes parked outside, but we manage. We aren't trying to be some big brand or anything like that. Just a shop that sells traditional sweets. My hands are usually sticky by the end of the shift, but that’s part of the job. We stay here until the last tray is empty or it gets too late. It’s honest work and it keeps us going throughout the colder months when business is good.