Mukesh Kirana & General Store

Our shop is located in the Aamkho area of Kampoo, right here in Gwalior. Mukesh Kirana & General Store has been a part of this neighborhood for quite some time now. It’s a quiet residential spot compared to the main markets, but we stay busy with the local families. We start the day early, usually around seven, because that is when the milk van arrives and people come out to get their supplies for breakfast. The shop has two main rooms, one for the heavy sacks of flour and sugar, and the other for all the packaged goods like oils and spices. We have a few old wooden benches outside where some of the elderly men sit and talk in the mornings. The lighting inside isn't the brightest, but we know exactly where everything is kept on the shelves. Sometimes the supply trucks are late because of the traffic in Gwalior, so we have to explain to the regulars why we are out of a certain brand of tea or salt. We don't do any deliveries, so people just walk over or stop their scooters in front of the door. The floor gets a bit muddy when it rains because the road outside isn't paved perfectly, but we just sweep it out when things get quiet. It’s a very normal way to spend the day, just measuring out grains and chatting with the neighbors about the weather or the local news.