Aashirwaad Kirana Store

We've been here at shop 154 in New Ashok Vihar for a good while now. It’s right behind the Durgadham Mandir, so we hear the temple bells every morning when we’re pulling up the metal shutters. Being in Ashoka Garden in Bhopal is nice because it’s a busy area but still feels like a neighborhood where everyone knows each other. Usually, I get here early to start dusting the shelves and checking what ran out yesterday. We keep mostly all the regular kitchen stuff people need, like lentils, spices, and soaps. Some days it’s quiet and I just sit on the stool watching the street, then suddenly five people walk in at once wanting change or a packet of milk. It’s not a big fancy place, just a regular kirana store with stuff piled up. My cousin helps out sometimes when it gets busy in the evenings after people get off work. We try to keep things organized but sometimes the boxes just stay on the floor for a bit until we have time to move them. It gets a bit dusty because of the road outside, but that’s just how it is here. Most people who come in live just down the lane, so we end up chatting about the weather or the local news while I’m weighing out the sugar. It’s a simple routine and we’ve gotten used to it over the years. We are just a small part of this area behind the temple.