Maru Rice Depot

If you walk down toward Sanmtha Colony in Toli Chowki, you’ll find us at 147-155/2. Maru Rice Depot is basically a big room full of different kinds of rice, and we’ve been here long enough that the floorboards are worn smooth. It’s a local spot where people from the colony pop in to see what we’ve got in stock this week. We don’t really do big advertisements because our regulars know where we are. The space is filled with the sound of scoops hitting the bottom of bins and the rustle of plastic bags being tied shut. We spend a lot of time checking the quality of what comes in from the suppliers. If something doesn't look right, we don't put it out. It’s a bit of a workout, honestly, lifting those fifty-kilo bags all day. My back usually aches by five o'clock, but that’s just part of the job. We keep a ledger on the counter to track everything, though it’s mostly just scribbles that only we can read. The lighting isn't great, and the fan in the corner makes a clicking noise that we’ve stopped noticing. We aren't trying to be the biggest depot in the city, just the one that people in Toli Chowki can rely on. We close up when the streetlights come on, and then we do it all again the next morning. It’s honest work, and it pays the bills while keeping us connected to the neighborhood.