Suman Kirana & General Store

Suman Kirana & General Store is situated in New Transport Nagar, right on Jhalawar Road in Kota. Being near the highway means we see a lot of trucks and heavy vehicles passing by all the time. The area is quite industrial and dusty, but that’s just the way it is here. I opened this shop to provide groceries and daily items to the people living and working around Gobriya Bawdi. We keep sacks of rice, flour, and big containers of oil in the back. The front part of the shop has smaller things like chocolates, soaps, and cigarettes. The sun in Kota can be really harsh, so the stone floor of the shop feels good in the summer. I spend my day sitting on a small stool behind the counter. Sometimes truck drivers stop by to buy some snacks or water for their journey. It’s not a quiet place, but it’s steady work. I don't use any fancy software to keep track of things; I just remember what is in stock. If we run out of something, I write it down on a piece of paper. Most of our regulars are laborers or people from the local colonies. They don't want anything fancy, just honest goods at the right price. It’s a simple life running a kirana store on a busy road. We just keep the doors open and wait for the next person to walk in.