Anokha Parlour

We are based in Varanasi at Shop Number 1 on the Rathyatra Mahmoorganj Road. It’s a very busy street with a lot of shops and houses crowded together. We are quite close to Khanna Villa, which most locals know as a landmark. Anokha Parlour has been operating here for a while now. It’s a small shop, not very wide, but we make use of the space we have. Inside, we have the typical salon setup with mirrors and chairs for different treatments. We do a bit of everything—hair, skin, and bridal work when it's the season for it. The traffic outside is always loud with rickshaws and bikes, but we just keep the door closed and get on with our work. My assistants and I stay busy from morning until late evening. It gets dusty because of the main road being right there, so we spend a lot of time cleaning the glass and the counters. We don't use a lot of big words to describe what we do. It’s just a place where women come to feel a bit better about their hair or skin. We know many of our clients since they were children and now they bring their own kids. It’s a community thing for us. We just focus on the task in front of us and try to make sure everyone leaves looking okay.