Gurjar Kirana

Gurjar Kirana sits on Hoshangabad Road in Bhopal, 462011. Being on such a major road means there is never a quiet moment with all the buses and cars rushing past. I spend most of my day inside this shop, surrounded by the smell of spices and the sound of the ceiling fan humming overhead. We sell the usual groceries that every household needs. It’s a lot of repetitive work, like filling small plastic bags with sugar or lentils from the bigger sacks we get delivered. My back usually aches by the end of the day from all the bending and reaching for items on the top shelves. We don’t really do any advertising or anything like that; people just know we are here because they pass us every day on their way to work. Sometimes the supply chain gets messed up and we have to tell people we are out of certain things, which is always a bit annoying for everyone involved. The shop isn't very big, so we have to use every inch of wall space for storage. I usually have a tea around four in the afternoon when things slow down for a bit before the evening crowd starts coming in. It’s a basic business and we don't try to be anything else. We just open up in the morning, do our work, and head home once we’ve pulled the shutters down at night. It’s just how things go.