Kaushik Kirana Store

Our store is in the village and post of Roja Yakubpur, which is part of the Dadri tehsil in Gautam Budh Nagar. It’s a rural area where everyone knows everyone else’s business. We have been running this kirana store for a long time now. The building is right on the main path through the village, so we see everyone as they go to work or head home. The shelves are filled with all the basics—flour, pulses, soaps, and little snacks for the kids. It’s not a supermarket; it’s just a local shop where things are sold in small packets or by weight. The floor is often dusty because of the wind blowing in from the fields, so we spend a lot of time with a broom in our hands. During the middle of the day, when it’s too hot to be outside, we sit in the shade of the doorway and wait for the evening rush. That’s when the village really wakes up. People come in to buy what they need for dinner and stay to chat for a few minutes. We don’t have a computer or any fancy machines; we just use a notebook and a pen to keep our accounts. It’s a simple life, and we are happy to be a part of Roja Yakubpur. We know which family likes which brand of tea and who is waiting for the next shipment of rice to arrive. It is just about being there for the village every day.