Rajesh Karyana Store

If you walk down Street No 6 in Kot Mangal Singh, near the D Cabin, you’ll see our shop. Rajesh Karyana Store has been a part of this street for a long time. It’s a small place, but we pack a lot into it. Every morning starts the same way, with the milk delivery arriving and us moving crates around to make room for the fresh stock. The shelves are filled with everything from bags of lentils to bars of soap. It isn't always perfectly neat because people are always reaching for things, and we are constantly restocking throughout the day. The street outside can get quite narrow when a cart passes by, and there is always someone leaning against the front counter having a chat. We know most of the people who come in by their first names. It’s not the kind of store where you just grab a basket and leave; there is usually a bit of talking involved. We don't have a computer system or anything like that. We just write things down in a ledger and keep track of who owes what. It’s a simple way of doing business, but it has worked for us. When the rainy season hits, we have to keep the door mostly shut to stop the water from splashing in, but otherwise, we are open to the street. It’s a busy life, but it’s ours. We keep things going from dawn till late evening.