Bhatia General Store

Our shop, Bhatia General Store, sits right in the heart of Patanpol Bazaar here in Kota. It’s a traditional market area, so it gets very crowded, especially during festivals. We have been serving the local folks from this same spot for many years. We deal in all the basic general items you’d expect. Things like tea leaves, sugar, soaps, and little things for the house. The space is a bit narrow, so we have to be clever about where we put everything. Sometimes boxes are stacked almost to the ceiling. We know most of the people who walk in by their first names. It’s that kind of place. The weather in Kota can get really hot, so the afternoons are usually a bit quiet while everyone stays indoors. That’s when we take the time to restock and clean up the place. We don't have any big advertisements or anything like that. People just know we are here. Working in the bazaar means you hear all the news and gossip of the town. We enjoy being in the middle of everything. Even though new malls have opened up elsewhere, our regular customers still come back to us for their monthly groceries. It’s a steady life and we are happy with how things are going. Sometimes the power goes out, and we just use a flashlight until it comes back to work.