Satya Provision Store

Early mornings are the busiest time here at Gulabpura Sabzi Mandi. I open Satya Provision Store while the sun is still coming up. Everything smells like fresh vegetables and damp earth outside. Inside the store, it’s different. It smells like spices, lentils, and soaps. I’ve got sacks of rice and flour stacked up against the back wall. It’s a bit of a maze sometimes, especially when a new shipment arrives and we haven't found a place for everything yet. The floor is concrete and a bit uneven in places. I know where every single item is, even if it looks like a mess to someone else. Regular customers come in with their lists, and I try to fill them as fast as I can. We talk about the price of onions or how the weather is affecting the crops. It’s honest work. My hands are usually a bit dusty from handling the grains. I’ve got a small wooden till that dings when you open it. It’s old but it still works fine. People in the Sabzi Mandi are hard workers, and I try to match that energy. By the time the sun is high, most of the rush is over and I can finally take a breath and have some tea. It’s just a local grocery spot for the people who live and work around here, and we've been here for many years now.