Lav Kush Kirana Store

The shop, Lav Kush Kirana Store, is located right in the middle of Palwal. It’s mostly just shelves filled with lentils, sugar, and various packets of snacks. My brother and I take turns sitting at the counter. The morning starts early before the sun gets too strong, getting the milk crates organized and making sure the bread is fresh. We don’t have a massive warehouse, so we just keep what we can fit on the racks. Sometimes it gets a bit crowded when three or four people come in at once, especially in the evenings when everyone is heading home from work. We have different kinds of flour and big tins of ghee stacked up. The floor is concrete and stays relatively cool. If you look around, you will see small things like matchboxes and candles near the register. We spend a lot of time checking the stock and writing down what needs to be ordered for the next week. Palwal has changed a lot over the years, but this corner feels pretty much the same. People come in asking for things they forgot to buy elsewhere. We don't use any fancy computer systems here; we just use a notebook to keep track of things. It’s hard work being on your feet all day, but it’s what we do. We just make sure the staples are available for the families living nearby who depend on us for their daily cooking needs.