Choutiya Khad Beej Bhandar

Our shop, Choutiya Khad Beej Bhandar, is located in Gur Mandi at Indra Market, specifically near the Old Subzi Mandi. It’s an old part of town, and you can really feel the history in the walls of the market. We deal with seeds and fertilizers, so the shop always has that earthy, sharp smell of Khad. It’s a bit dusty, and we have sacks of stuff piled up near the entrance. Farmers and gardeners come in all day, usually with dirt under their fingernails and plenty of stories about the weather. We have an old wooden counter that’s been worn smooth by years of people leaning on it. There’s a small temple in the corner where we light some incense every morning before we start work. The ceiling is high, but the light is a bit dim towards the back where we keep the heavier bags of seed. We don't use computers much, mostly just a big register and a pen that we keep tied to a string so it doesn't get lost. Sometimes we sit outside on plastic stools when business is slow, watching the rickshaws go by. It’s a simple trade, selling things that help stuff grow. We’ve seen the market change over the years, but our little corner stays pretty much the same. We just provide what’s needed for the season and hope for good rain like everyone else in this line of work.