Mariappa Stores

Mariappa Stores is located right on Sepping Road in Shivaji Nagar, Bangalore. It’s one of those areas that never really stays quiet, even late at night. The shop is filled with all kinds of things people need for their houses. We spend a lot of time just organizing the boxes that come in from the distributors. Bangalore weather can be a bit unpredictable, so we’re always making sure the roof isn't leaking when the rains start. Most of our day is spent talking to the neighbors who live nearby. They come in for milk or some matches and end up staying to talk about the traffic or the local news. Sepping Road has changed a lot since we first started, but the shop stays mostly the same. We have the usual stuff on the shelves, and sometimes we run out of things if the delivery truck gets stuck in the city jams. It gets cramped inside when more than three people enter at once, but we manage somehow. My hands are usually a bit dusty from handling the flour bags all morning. We don’t have any big signs or bright lights, just the name above the door. It is a simple way to make a living, and it keeps us busy from morning till night. Sometimes the power goes out, and we have to use the old torch to find things for people.