Khandelwal General Stores

If you find yourself in Main Roadganj, you’ll probably pass by our place. Khandelwal General Stores is right there in the main market where everything is happening. The shop isn’t very big, so we have to be careful about how we stack the bags of rice and flour. We spend most of the morning checking what we sold yesterday and what we need to get more of. It’s a lot of manual work, moving crates and making sure the eggs don't break. The walls are lined with shelves that go all the way to the ceiling, filled with tins and packets. We use a long reacher tool to get things down for people. It’s mostly local families from around the Roadganj area who come in. They might want some cooking oil or maybe some candy for their kids. There’s always a bit of a wait when it gets busy in the evening, and people stand around talking while we weigh out the sugar or pulses. The counter is made of heavy wood and has been there for years, showing some scratches and wear. We don’t bother much with decorations; the products themselves are the decor. It’s just a plain, honest shop where we try to keep things orderly even when the market outside is a mess of bikes and people. We close up when the street finally starts to quiet down, then we do it all again the next day.