Rita Beads

Our little shop, Rita Beads, is tucked away at D. 5/47 in the Tripura Bhairwi area of Dashaswamedh. If you’ve ever walked the lanes near the river, you know how narrow and winding they are. It’s a busy, colorful part of the world. We have thousands of beads in every color you can think of. They are kept in small plastic bins and glass jars that line the walls from the floor to the ceiling. It’s a bit of a tight squeeze when more than two people are inside. We spend a lot of time sorting through them or threading them for specific orders. My glasses are always sliding down my nose because I’m looking so closely at the tiny holes. The street outside is full of pilgrims and tourists heading towards the ghats. You can hear the temple bells throughout the day. It’s never really quiet here. We have a small wooden counter where we do all the weighing and packing. Sometimes we lose a bead on the floor and it’s gone forever in the cracks. We don't have a website or anything like that; people just find us by walking past or hearing about us from neighbors. It’s a simple life, surrounded by bright colors and the constant movement of Dashaswamedh.