Jageswari Bhandar

Our shop, Jageswari Bhandar, is located in Nuagopalpur Village. If you know where the Balanga Post Office is in Nimapada Tehsil, we are just a bit down the road from there. We are very close to the State Bank of India, which is handy because people often stop by after doing their banking. It is a typical village store in the Puri District. We sell grains, spices, and things for the house. The building is old and the walls could use a fresh coat of paint, but it stays cool inside during the summer. I usually open up early in the morning when the air is still fresh. Farmers come in before heading to the fields to get tobacco or tea. It is quiet for most of the afternoon when it is hot, then it picks up again in the evening. We don't have a computer for billing; I just use a notebook and a pen. It works fine for us. Sometimes the power goes out, and we use candles or a torch to find things on the back shelves. We try to keep prices fair because we know everyone in the village. It is a small community and news travels fast here. My father started this place years ago, and I just kept it going. It is not a big operation, just a few rooms filled with bags and jars. We just do our work and look after the neighbors.