Pushpa General Store

Pushpa General Store is sitting out on the G.T Road, about 10 kilometers out near Jhunsi in Allahabad. Our address is 211019, right opposite the Nayah Nagar Gate. It is a very busy spot because of all the trucks and cars passing by on the main highway. The dust from the road is a bit of a problem, so we have to wipe the counters and the jars almost every hour. I spend most of my day sitting behind the wooden counter waiting for people to stop by. We keep basic things that travelers might need, like cold water, chips, and cigarettes, but we also have flour and oil for the families living near the gate. The Nayah Nagar Gate is a big landmark for us. People always use it to find where we are. The shop is quite plain with just a few lights and a lot of boxes stacked up in the corners. My younger brother comes in the afternoon so I can go home and eat lunch. We don't have any big computers here, just a small notebook where we write down what we sold. It gets very hot in the summer because the road absorbs all the heat. Sometimes we put a bench outside under the small shade for people to sit. It’s not a big business but it’s been our main work for years and it is how we stay connected to the Jhunsi community.