Kiran Gernal Store

If you look right across from the Shiv Mandir in Lodipur, you will see Kiran Gernal Store. It’s a small place on Buddha Marg. Being near the temple means we hear the bells every morning and evening, which is a nice way to start and end the day. I’ve been running this shop for years. It’s a simple setup with wooden shelves and a small stool for me to sit on when things are slow. I sell the usual things like biscuits, tea leaves, matches, and whatever else the families around here need. People stop by on their way to the mandir or when they are walking home from the market. It’s a friendly neighborhood. I know most of the kids who come in for sweets after school. The shop isn't shiny or new, but it’s clean and I know where everything is. Running a general store in Patna means you have to be ready for anything, like power cuts or heavy rain that floods the street a bit. I just keep the shop open and wait for the regulars. I don’t have a website or a big sign, just my name and the stuff I sell. It’s honest work and it keeps me connected to the community. Sometimes people stay for a bit of gossip, and I don't mind that at all. It makes the day go by faster when you have someone to talk to.