Shyam Trading Company

It’s quiet out here in Parandwadi. We've been at Gat No. 207 for a while now. Most days it's just us handling the stock and making sure things get where they need to go. Trading isn't always easy, especially when the weather gets rough or the transport is late, but we manage. People around Taluka Maval know us well enough. We don't have a big fancy office with glass walls or anything like that. It’s just a practical space where we work. Sometimes the dust from the road gets inside, but that’s part of being in the village. We handle a lot of different items depending on what's needed for the orders coming in. My cousin helps out with the paperwork, though he’s not very fast at it and often makes a few mistakes we have to fix later. We try to keep things simple. If someone calls, we answer. We don't use those automated phone systems because they just frustrate people. Living and working in the same area means you see your customers at the market or the tea stall on the corner. It keeps you honest about what you're doing. We’ve seen the village change a bit over the years, with more trucks passing through now. Our building isn't much to look at from the outside, but it works for what we do. We just keep our heads down and get the daily tasks finished before it gets dark. It is a living.