Rahul General Store

Rahul General Store is located on Khajanchi Road in the Nayatola part of Patna. This area is always full of students because of all the coaching centers nearby. Because of that, we sell a lot of pens, notebooks, and quick snacks. The shop is small and the light from the street doesn't always reach the back corners. We have a few bright bulbs hanging from the ceiling to help with that. It gets very loud outside during the afternoons when classes let out. We have to shout a bit sometimes just to be heard over the noise. I’ve been working here since I was much younger. The shelves are filled with everything from toothbrushes to plastic buckets. We don't have a big sign with flashing lights, just a simple one with the name. Managing a general store is mostly about remembering who owes what in the little credit book and making sure we don't run out of milk in the morning. The monsoon season is the hardest because the road outside gets muddy and people bring that mud inside on their shoes. We just keep a mop handy and keep going. It isn't a glamorous job but it is what we do. We know the tea seller next door and the guy who fixes cycles down the street. It’s a little community of shops here in Patna and we are just happy to have our spot.