Jai Bhavai Kirana & General Store

Working near the MGBS Bus Station in Hyderabad means there is never a dull moment. Our shop, Jai Bhavai Kirana, is located at Kali Kaber in D No 22-1-1102/A. Because we are so close to the bus stand, we get a mix of local residents and people just passing through the city. We keep a lot of snacks and water bottles ready for the travelers. The shop itself is a bit small and we have to stack things high up toward the ceiling to make everything fit. I usually spend my time sitting behind the glass counter, weighing out pulses or packing sugar into smaller bags. My nephew helps me out in the afternoons when it gets really busy. The traffic outside is constant and you can always hear the buses honking. It gets quite dusty, so we have to clean the front area several times a day. We don't really do any advertising or anything like that, people just know we are here. Sometimes the stock delivery truck can’t get into the narrow lane, so we have to carry the sacks ourselves from the main road. It is tiring work and the hours are long, usually from seven in the morning until ten at night. We have a small television in the corner to keep us occupied during the slow hours in the middle of the day. It’s just a regular life in a busy corner of Hyderabad.