Ramesh Kirana Store

In this corner of Ramganj Mandi, things move at their own pace. My shop, Ramesh Kirana Store, is right here in Khatal Khadi. I’ve spent more time inside these four walls than anywhere else. We have sacks of flour and sugar stacked up near the back. The smell of loose tea and spices is always in the air. People from the nearby houses drop by for their weekly supplies. I don't have a big staff, just me and a young lad who helps with the heavy lifting. We don't use fancy computers for everything; a simple notebook and a calculator do the job fine. The wooden counters have grown smooth from years of sliding change across them. It gets quite busy in the evenings when everyone is heading home from work. Sometimes the supply of certain pulses is short, so I have to make a few calls to get things sorted. The street outside is often noisy with bikes and carts passing by. I try to keep the shop organized, but when a big shipment arrives, there are boxes everywhere for a few hours. It's just how a small business goes. We don’t do any big advertising. People know where we are if they need salt or oil. It's simple work but it keeps the family going. I hope to keep it open for many more years.