Surbhi General Stores

This shop is located in Machuatoli, right on the main Ashok Raj Path. Patna is a crowded place and this area is no different. We spend most of our time moving boxes around to make space for people to stand. It’s a general store, so we have many different items scattered on the shelves. One side has snacks and the other has things for the bathroom. It’s a bit messy but we know where everything is kept. If someone asks for a specific brand of soap, I can usually find it in a minute. The building is old. You can see the wear on the walls. We don’t really decorate or anything like that. It’s just a place to get what you need and go home. Students from the nearby hostels often come in for biscuits or pens. They are always in a hurry. We stay open quite late because the street is always active. There's a lot of noise from the rickshaws and buses passing by. Sometimes we sit on the wooden stools outside when it's quiet. My father started this and now I handle the daily stuff. It’s not a big business. It’s just what we do every day. The weather changes, the seasons go by, but the shop stays pretty much the same. We keep the stock updated as much as we can manage. It’s a simple living in a busy part of town. We also sell recharge cards and some stationery items like tapes and glue. We keep a small lamp lit in the evenings.