Shri Ji Store

Running Shri Ji Store inside the Nagla Padi Sabji Mandi means your day starts way before the sun is even up. The whole market area is already buzzing with trucks and vegetable sellers by 4 AM. Since we are right here in the middle of it, the floor is always getting tracks of mud or crushed leaves from the Mandi. It’s just the way it is. I stock things that people need after they finish their vegetable shopping. They buy their potatoes and onions out there, then come to me for the salt, the spices, or the oil to cook them with. The shelves are packed tight. I’ve got jars of candy near the bottom for the kids and big sacks of grain in the back corner. Agra gets crowded, and this Sabji Mandi is one of those places where you really feel it. The smell of fresh coriander and damp earth from the market fills the shop most mornings. By ten, the main rush is over, and I finally get a chance to sit down and have some tea. The wooden counter is worn down at the edges where people lean while they count their change. It’s a loud, messy environment, but it feels right for this area. You see the same faces every single day, mostly farmers or local ladies looking for a bargain. We just keep the supplies ready for whoever walks in.