Gulab Kirana And General Stores

Up here in Tumsar Dewadi, things move a bit slower than in the main city. Gulab Kirana And General Stores has been here for a while, sitting right on the street where everyone passes by. We spend a lot of our time opening big sacks of rice and lentils and putting them into smaller bags for people to take home. It’s dusty work and my hands are usually covered in flour by the end of the day. The shop is a bit cramped because we try to fit in as many things as possible. We’ve got detergent, spices, and even some small hardware items if someone needs a bulb or a battery. My family helps out too. Sometimes my nephew sits at the counter when I have to go out to speak with the wholesale guys in Nagpur. It’s a lot of lifting and carrying, which gets tiring as you get older. We don't have any fancy displays or bright lights, just wooden shelves and some old jars. The floor needs a sweep every hour because people bring in mud from the street. When it rains, the sound on the roof is so loud we have to shout a bit to hear the customers. We know who likes which brand of cooking oil and who always forgets to bring their own bag. It’s just a regular local shop where we try to keep enough stock so nobody goes home empty-handed.