Sankaramma Kirana Shop

This little kirana shop is at 5-144 in Harijanawada. It’s not a big supermarket with bright lights, just a small room filled with everything from soap to bags of lentils. Sankaramma is usually behind the counter, or sitting on the small stool near the door. The shelves go all the way to the ceiling, so we have to use a wooden stick to reach the packets at the top. In the mornings, the milk packets arrive and that’s always the busiest time because everyone wants them before breakfast. We have those big glass jars filled with colorful candies that the kids from the neighborhood always eye when they come in with their parents. The floor is made of old stone and it’s seen a lot of feet over the years. We keep the registers in a small drawer that squeaks every time you open it. It can get a bit dusty with all the bags of flour and rice around, but we try to sweep it out once in the afternoon when things go quiet. It’s a local spot where people come to chat as much as they do to buy their groceries. We know who likes which brand of tea and who usually forgets to bring change. It’s just a simple life here in the wada, serving the people who live right on this street and the ones around the corner.