Suman Bertan Bhandar

Suman Bertan Bhandar is right here at Mandi Ki Naal 101. If you are looking for us, just listen for the sound of metal clanging together. We have stacks of steel plates, brass pots, and aluminum pans everywhere. It is a small shop, so we have to use every inch of wall space, even hanging things from the ceiling. When a customer comes in, we often have to move three or four other things just to reach the specific pot they want to see. It’s a bit of a puzzle every day. The Mandi Ki Naal area is always buzzing with people buying groceries and household items, so it feels very connected to the life of the city. We see a lot of families coming in to pick out items for a new kitchen or just replacing a worn-out tawa. We don’t do anything fancy here. We just sit on our stools, keep the metal polished enough so it doesn't look dull, and wait for the next person to walk in. Some days it gets very hot inside with all the metal reflecting the light, but we are used to it by now. We’ve known the other shopkeepers around here for a long time, so there’s always someone to chat with during the slow hours in the afternoon. It is honest work, and we just try to keep the shop stocked with the basics that everyone uses for cooking their daily meals.