Anna Bhander

Down here on Kalpukur Road in Kolkata, things move at their own pace. Anna Bhander is a small place, mostly focused on food items like grains and spices. I spend a lot of time weighing out portions for people who only want a little bit of something. The air smells like mustard oil and raw rice most of the time. I have these big metal bins for the different kinds of dal. Sometimes the lids are hard to get off, but they keep the bugs out. I don't use any plastic bags anymore, so people usually bring their own cloth bags or I wrap things in old newspapers. It’s an old-fashioned way of doing things, I guess. The building itself is quite old and the walls could use some fresh paint, but it works for a store. I like the morning time best when it’s still a bit cool and the neighborhood is just waking up. I talk to the milkman and the newspaper boy every day. It feels good to be part of the community here in the 700002 area. I don't have a website or anything like that. If people need something, they just walk in and ask. That’s how it has always been and I don't see any reason to change it now. I try to sweep the floor twice a day because the street dust always finds its way inside.