Tucked between two shops on Dharavi Main Road, opposite the District Sports Club, stands a small but unmistakable tea and snacks stall in bright orange. Around it, Dharavi moves at its usual relentless pace. Autos squeeze past buses, bikers zoom away impatiently, and pedestrians crowd the roads before disappearing into the alleys like distributaries. Amid all the chaos, people stop by for a quick cup of chai and a snack before moving on with their day.

We noticed the stall immediately, partly because of the bright colours, but mostly because of the group of customers gathered there despite the scorching afternoon heat of May. The smell of boiling chai and frying vadas enveloped everyone on the main road. Plates of poha, rice and homemade snacks moved steadily across the counter as people kept stopping by. 

The stall is run by Jayashree Kunse and her family. Unlike some of the larger and louder stalls nearby, the place feels quieter and more familiar. Plastic stools line the edge of the roadside while bikes are parked tightly around the small space. Customers stand casually near the counter, chatting with one another as Jayashree and her husband welcome them and serve their orders.

When we approached Jayashree, she welcomed us warmly in spite of being swamped with customers. Midway through conversations, she would pause to hand over cups of tea or call out instructions where her daughter-in-law cooked continuously in large steel vessels. Their grandson ran around the stall freely, weaving between customers and parked bikes. Jayashree suddenly stopped speaking to scold a group of mischievous children nearby before returning to the conversation. The constant movement around the stall seemed completely natural to the family.

Even though the tea stall is just eight months old, the family’s relationship with this corner of Dharavi stretches decades back.

Jayashree told us that not just her, but her entire family was born and brought up in Dharavi. Before starting the stall, she sold festive decorations and ornaments in Dadar during seasonal periods. Parallelly, the family also sold Ganpati idols from the exact same spot where the tea stall now stands.

But both sources of income were unstable. Eventually, they decided to turn their space into something that would be a more permanent source of income for them. Thus was born their tea and snacks stall in late 2025.

There were more established shops and restaurants nearby, including popular tea chains, but they believed their location would prove advantageous to them. Dharavi’s constant movement, nearby workshops, and people regularly crossing the main road gave them the confidence to start.

Most of their business comes during breakfast and lunch hours. The stall receives bulk orders from the District Sports Club, nearby warehouses and local workplaces. Jayashree proudly mentioned that customers usually come to pick up the orders themselves. Almost all the raw materials are sourced locally from Dharavi, something the family finds both affordable and convenient.

The stall functions less like a business run by individuals and more like a shared family routine. While Jayashree and her husband manage customers, their son helps organise the already narrow roadside space and handles movement around the stall. Their daughter-in-law cooks continuously for the waiting customers.

At one point during the conversation, a customer stopped only for tea but stayed back speaking to her husband for several minutes about work nearby and the day’s rain. Another person passing by greeted the family without even stopping. This was a clear demonstration of the sense of belonging and community that is in Dharavi.

The family serves only vegetarian food, something they take pride in. Even the stall’s name carries a religious connection. For them, serving homemade food and maintaining relationships with customers matter more than competing with the larger shops nearby.

When asked why they continue living and working in Dharavi, Jayashree answered almost immediately:

"Aamhala Dharavi changlich watatey. Dharavi madhe haar suvidha anhi loka javalach aahe."

"We love Dharavi. Everything we need is right here- the facilities, resources and even the people close to us."

She passionately explained how everything they need is nearby- Sion station, Mahim station, BKC, hospitals, markets and workplaces, all connected through trains, buses, metros, or even walking routes. But more than convenience, it is the sense of familiarity and community that keeps them rooted there. For the family, Dharavi is not simply a place of work. It is their home. Relatives live nearby, customers slowly become known faces and most daily routines exist within walking distance.

But just like everything else, running a roadside food stall comes with its own difficulties. We noticed that sanitation around the area remains a concern, especially the open drains during the Mumbai monsoons, and keeping the business running next to larger stalls isn't an easy task. Yet every morning, the family returns to the same corner and works through the day together.

As evening slowly approaches, the pace around the stall softens slightly. In the middle of Dharavi’s rush, the Kunse family’s stall remains a homely corner that provides fresh homemade food and the comfort of familiarity.