Maheshwari Bakery

The smell of bread usually starts around 4 am at H. No -7-13. That is where we have Maheshwari Bakery in Khanapur. We aren’t a big chain or anything. It’s just a small local bakery where we do things the old way. My hands are usually covered in flour by sunrise. Khanapur is a small place, so we know almost everyone who walks through the door. Some people come in for the same thing every single morning. We have a couple of ovens that have been with us for years. They are a bit finicky but they bake everything just fine. The counter is made of wood and it’s worn down in the spots where people lean. We don't have a lot of fancy cakes with lots of colors. We mostly make simple things that people like to eat with their tea. The shop can get quite warm because the ovens are always on. We leave the door open to catch the breeze. Sometimes the village dogs hang around outside hoping for a scrap. We keep the place clean, but it’s a working kitchen, so there’s always a bit of a mess somewhere. It’s hard work being on your feet all day. My knees feel it by the time we close up. But this is what we do. We’ve been here a long time and the people in Khanapur seem to appreciate having us around for their daily needs. We just take it one day at a time.