Khwaja Khushi Kirana

Our shop is in Ward Number 3, right near the post office in Bediya. It’s also close to the Shiv Mandir, so we hear the temple bells throughout the day. This is Taluka Barwaha, a place where everyone knows everyone else’s business. Being a kirana store, we sell the basic things people need for their homes. Oil, sugar, pulses, and soaps, that sort of thing. It isn’t a large place. The shelves are made of wood that my father put up years ago. They’re a bit bowed now from the weight of the jars. I spend most of my time behind the counter. Sometimes the kids come in after school for a single piece of candy. It’s a slow pace of life here. We open early in the morning before the sun gets too high. The air in the shop smells like a mix of dried chilies and soap. I like that smell. We don’t do any advertising at all. People just walk in because they need something for dinner. If I’m not at the counter, I’m probably in the back trying to organize the sacks. It gets messy when a new shipment comes in. We have to carry everything in by hand. It’s tiring, but it’s what we do. The rain can be a problem if it gets under the door, so we keep everything off the floor on wooden pallets. It’s just us, doing our part in the village. We keep the stock ready for whenever someone stops by.