Chotu General Store

People usually find us on Bhaga Road in Jharia without much trouble. We are right there near New Hussain Nagar, which stays pretty busy most of the day. The shop isn't huge, but we keep a lot of stuff packed onto the shelves because you never know what someone might need when they walk in. It gets dusty outside with the trucks passing by, so I spend a good amount of time cleaning the counters. Most of the people who come here are neighbors who live just a few streets away. They stop by for small things like soap or maybe some snacks for the kids. I’ve been sitting behind this counter for a long time now. The morning starts with getting the shutters up and making sure the milk packets are cold. Sometimes the electricity goes off, which is a bit of a headache, but we manage with a small light. We don’t have fancy displays or anything like that. It’s just a regular store where you get what you need and go home. Jharia can be a tough place with all the coal work around, but this corner feels like home. I know most of the faces that walk through the door, and we usually chat for a minute about the weather or how the local roads are getting worse. It is a simple life here in Dhanbad, just keeping the shelves full and the door open for whoever stops by.