Shina Karyana Store

Shina Karyana Store is located at 1237 in Basti Jodhewal. We are quite close to the Babathan Singh Durudwara, so you can often hear the sounds coming from there while we work. It’s a lively neighborhood in Ludhiana. The shop itself is a bit of a squeeze because we try to fit everything from washing powder to bags of cattle feed inside. The entrance is narrow, and we usually have a few stacks of bottled water sitting right by the door. I spend most of my day behind the counter, weighing out lentils or counting change for the local ladies who come by for their daily groceries. The floor gets dusty because of the road construction nearby, so I have to sweep it at least three times a day. We’ve got those old-fashioned glass jars for the sweets that the children like. Some of the labels on the tins have faded because the sun hits the front window in the afternoon. It gets hot in here during July, but we have a good breeze if we keep the back door open. Most people in Basti Jodhewal know us by name, and we know who likes which brand of tea. It is a simple life of lifting heavy sacks and talking to the regulars about the weather or the price of onions. We just keep the doors open and the shelves as full as we can.