Suraj Kumar General Store

Life at Suraj Kumar General Store usually revolves around the rhythm of the Main Road in Narahi. Being here in Lucknow, specifically in the 226001 zip code, means dealing with a lot of noise and a lot of people every single day. The shop isn't anything special to look at, just a place with shelves packed high with whatever we can fit. I spend a lot of time rearranging the crates of cold drinks and making sure the flour bags haven't caught any damp from the floor. It’s hard work keeping up with what people want. One day everyone wants a specific brand of tea, and the next day they are all asking for a soap I haven't seen in months. I try to keep the basics like salt, sugar, and pulses always in stock so no one goes away empty-handed. The afternoon sun hits the front of the store pretty hard, so I usually hang a thick curtain to keep the interior a bit cooler. Neighbors pop in not just to buy things but sometimes just to escape the heat for a second and talk. We’ve been in this part of Narahi for long enough that I know most of the kids by their names and what candy they like to pick out. It’s a simple routine, really. I close up when the streetlights have been on for a few hours and the traffic finally starts to thin out.