Muklesh Store

We have been running Muklesh Store here in the village of Ugritala for quite some time now. It is a quiet spot in the Manikchak area, and most of our days follow the same pattern. I usually get here early in the morning to unlock the heavy shutters before the sun gets too high. The air in the village is still fresh then, though once the trucks start moving on the main road, it gets a bit dusty. We try to keep a bit of everything on the shelves because people out here do not want to travel all the way into the bigger towns just for small daily needs. You will find bags of rice, some pulses, soaps, and those little packets of biscuits the kids like. The shop isn't fancy at all. We have some old wooden counters that have seen better days, and the lighting is just a few bulbs that hum a little when the power is steady. People from around the neighborhood stop by, sometimes just to talk about the weather or how the crops are doing this season. It gets busy in the evenings when everyone is heading home and remembers they forgot something for dinner. We just take things one day at a time, making sure the stock is replenished and the floor stays mostly clean. It is a simple way of living and working, but it keeps us busy and connected to the folks living around Manikchak.