Agarwala Bhandar

Down on Satgaon Road in Panjabari, you will find Agarwala Bhandar. We deal with a lot of bulk items, so you’ll often see large sacks of rice and pulses stacked near the entrance. It’s a busy environment here in Guwahati, with a lot of commerce happening every day. The shop is more about utility than looks. We have sturdy shelves and plenty of storage space in the back. People come to us when they need to stock up for the month. We spend a lot of time weighing things out on the scales and tying up plastic bags. It’s hard work, especially when the heavy shipments arrive and we have to move everything by hand. The air in the shop usually smells like turmeric and dried chilies. We have been in this spot for a long time, and we’ve seen the road outside change quite a bit. Despite all the new buildings, our routine stays the same. We start early, check the inventory, and wait for the customers to arrive. We don't use any fancy marketing tricks. We just show people what we have and tell them the price. Sometimes the bookkeeping gets a bit messy, but we figure it out in the end. It’s a practical business for practical people. We don't have much time for small talk when it’s busy, but we always try to be fair. That’s just the way things work here.