Munshi Altafhusen Abdulkadar

Mandvi Market Square is always noisy. I usually get here early before the crowd starts building up near Nazarbaug. It’s right across the street, and you can see the old gates from here. Most days, we just keep the doors open and let the air move through, though it gets dusty fast. My name is Munshi Altafhusen Abdulkadar, and I’ve been running things from this spot for a while now. It isn't a fancy place, just a regular shop where we get our work done. Sometimes the traffic is so bad you can't even hear yourself talk, but that is just part of being in the middle of everything. We have a few chairs for people to sit if they have to wait. It’s mostly just me or a helper here. We don't really do big advertisements or anything like that. People know where we are because we’ve been here so long. The walls could probably use a fresh coat of paint, but I never seem to find the time. By the time evening comes, the market gets even louder. We usually pack up when the streetlights come on. I like to walk around the square once before heading home just to see the evening stalls. It’s a simple life. We don’t try to be something we aren’t. If you’re ever near the square, you’ll see us right there opposite the old garden. We just try to keep things moving and help the folks who stop by. Nothing more to it.