Gandheswari Bhandar

Our shop, Gandheswari Bhandar, is in the village of Lakshmisagar, under the Simlapal police station area. It’s a quiet place compared to the big towns. Most of our customers are people we see every single day at the tea stall or in the fields. We keep the shop in the front part of our house, so I’m always close by if someone knocks on the door outside of regular hours. We sell the basic things like soap, oil, and flour. Life moves slowly here in Lakshmisagar. We don't have many big deliveries, so I often have to go into the bigger town myself to pick up supplies. The shop has a dirt floor in some parts, and we have a wooden bench outside where people sit and talk. It’s not just about buying things; it’s where people catch up on the local news. My kids sometimes help me out after school, mostly just moving bags around. We don't have a computer or even a calculator most of the time; we just do the math in our heads. The power goes out quite often in the evenings, so we keep some candles ready. It’s a very small operation, but it serves the village well. We aren't looking to change anything. We just hope to keep providing what the neighborhood needs for the years to come. It is just a small local store for local people.