Saroja Kirana Shops

The shop here in Nawgam Basti has been part of my life for quite a long time now. We open up pretty early in Kaghaznagar when the sun is just coming up and the air is still a bit cool. I spend most of my mornings stacking up sacks of rice and making sure the jars of pulses are full. People from around the Basti come in for small things mostly, like a packet of salt or some oil for their cooking that evening. It gets crowded sometimes when everyone finishes work, and the space inside is a bit tight with all the crates around. I try to keep everything where I can find it quickly, but sometimes things get moved around. There’s a lot of dust from the road that comes in, so wiping down the counters is a job that never really ends. We have the usual things people need every day, like soap and tea powder. My family helps out when they can, especially when I need to go and get new stock from the bigger market. It’s not a fancy place at all, just a regular shop with shelves that go all the way to the ceiling. We know most people who walk through the door by their names. It is just how life goes here, day in and day out, making sure the local pantry stays stocked up for the neighbors who live around us.