Komal General & Kirana Merchant

Living and working in Jhunsi is a bit different than being in the middle of Allahabad city. It feels much slower and more relaxed on this side of the river. I run Komal General and Kirana Merchant and I have been doing this for a long time. The shop is on a narrow street where the neighbors all know each other. I sell the usual stuff like loose flour, spices, and washing powder. My day starts with me arranging the different sacks of grains out front so people can see the quality. I still use an old manual weighing scale with metal weights. It is not as fast as the digital ones, but I like the feel of it. The walls of the shop are covered with old calendars that I never bothered to take down over the years. It looks a bit messy to an outsider, but I know exactly where every single item is kept. If someone asks for a specific brand of hair oil, I can find it in a second. My children tell me I should get a computer to keep track of my sales, but I prefer my old handwritten ledger. I write down everything in my own way. Sometimes the electricity goes out for a few hours, and I just light a candle and keep sitting there. It is a quiet life and I am happy with how things are.