Rakesh Kirana Store

You can find us at 502, Kanakadasa Road, which is right near the Chandrabanda Post Office. Being close to the post office means we see a lot of people coming and going all day. The store is a typical kirana shop with big open containers of grains and pulses. I spend a lot of time scooping things into paper bags and tying them with string. The scale is a bit old, but it still works well enough for what we do. The shelves are packed with everything from matchboxes to big tins of ghee. Kanakadasa Road can get quite dusty, especially when the wind picks up, so I’m always wiping down the counters. We have a small bench outside where some of the older men sit and talk while they wait for their mail. It’s a very local atmosphere, and everyone knows everyone else’s name. I keep a small radio in the back that plays local news or music quietly. The light inside is a bit dim towards the back of the shop, but we have a torch for when we need to find something hidden away. It’s not a large place, and the ceiling is a bit low, but it serves the neighborhood just fine. By the time I close the shutters, my back is usually a bit sore, but the work is steady and familiar. Every week we get a new batch of jaggery that smells sweet.