Nitin General Store

Living and working in Sikandra is always interesting because the Main Bajar is never really quiet. Our shop, Nitin General Store, sits right in the middle of all that noise and movement in Agra. We open up early in the morning before the sun gets too high and start bringing the crates out. It is a small space so we have to use every bit of the walls to hang things up. You will see packets of biscuits next to laundry soap and batteries. It’s a bit of a squeeze when more than three people come in at once. The floor gets scuffed from all the shoes walking in and out all day. Sometimes we forget to eat lunch on time because someone always needs something right then. Agra gets really hot in the summer and the shop stays a bit cooler because of the stone walls. We don't really do anything fancy here, just keep the shelves filled with what the local families ask for. There's a lot of counting change and writing things down in the register. You get used to the sounds of the scooters outside and the shouting of other vendors. It’s just how the market works. We've seen kids grow up and start coming in to buy things for their own houses now. It makes you realize how long you've been standing behind this wooden counter.