Rakesh Kirana Store

The shop sits right on Gopalpura Byepass, specifically at Sudama Kutir Marg 595. It’s been here for a good while now, through many seasons and changes in the neighborhood. Every morning, we roll up the heavy iron shutters around seven or so, depending on how late the night before went. Inside, things are packed pretty tight. We’ve got sacks of different lentils and rice sitting near the entrance because that’s what people grab most often. The shelves are filled with all kinds of stuff, from soap bars to packets of spices that have been sitting in the same spot for months. Sometimes the dust settles on the top jars and we have to wipe it off with an old rag before handing it to a customer. It’s not a fancy place with bright lights or anything like that. Just a normal room with wooden counters and a ceiling fan that makes a bit of noise when it’s on high. People from the nearby houses come in for small things, maybe a liter of milk or just some matchboxes. Children often stop by on their way back from school to see if we have those orange candies they like. We know most of the faces around here by now. It gets quite busy in the evenings when everyone is coming home from work and they realize they forgot something for dinner. We just keep things moving, weighing out grains and looking for change in the small wooden drawer.