Sree Raja Rajeshwara Kirana & Pooja Stores

The shop is tucked into Shanker Veedhi, right in the middle of the Monda Market area in Secunderabad. It’s Door No.7-1-997/1 if you are looking for the exact spot on the paper. Being here in Hyderabad, things are always moving fast, especially in a market like this. We spend most of our mornings unpacking crates of incense sticks and bags of turmeric. People come in looking for specific things for their rituals or just some basic lentils for lunch. The shelves are pretty crowded because we try to fit everything in, from small packets of kumkum to big bags of rice. Monda Market has a certain smell of spices and old buildings that stays with you all day. Sometimes the delivery trucks block the narrow street and we have to wait to get our stock inside. It isn't a fancy place with bright lights or anything like that. We just keep the floor swept and the items grouped together so people can find what they need quickly. We’ve seen the neighborhood change over the years, but the demand for pooja items stays pretty much the same. Most of the folks who come in are regulars from around Secunderabad who know exactly where we keep the camphor. It gets quite hot in the afternoons, so we usually sit near the front to catch whatever breeze comes down the lane. That’s just how it is here every day, busy but manageable.