Shri Mahalaxmi General Store

If you ever go down Master Kishan Lal Road in Bilara, you’ll see us right across from the Nagar Palika office. Shri Mahalaxmi General Store is a small place but we keep a lot of variety. Jodhpur heat can be tough, so we keep the cold drinks stocked up in the fridge. We sell a bit of everything—school supplies, bangles, snacks, and even some basic medicines for headaches. The shop has been here for a while and the counter is worn down from people leaning on it. I usually spend my time rearranging the jars of candy on the front shelf. The kids from the nearby houses come in with coins and it takes them forever to decide what they want. It makes me laugh sometimes. We don't have any fancy computer systems for billing. We just use a pen and paper and a calculator. It works fine for us. During festival times, it gets really crowded and we have to put some boxes outside on the pavement. People in Bilara are friendly and they like to stand around and chat about politics or the local news while they wait for their change. We like it that way. It’s not just about selling things, it’s about being part of the daily routine for everyone around here. We close up around nine and head home, just like everyone else.