Akash Provision Store

The shop is located on T H Kataria Road 11 in Bhosarigoan, right where the street gets narrow and the traffic slows down. It’s a tight space, but we’ve managed to fit a lot of stuff onto the old wooden racks that line the walls from floor to ceiling. We mostly sell the small things people run out of suddenly, like salt, matches, or a bit of fresh ginger for their evening tea. The morning starts with sweeping the front step and getting the newspapers stacked up for the early customers who pass by. There’s a specific way the sun hits the front of the store in the afternoon, making it quite bright inside for a few hours. We’ve got a small television perched on a high shelf that stays on the news channels most of the day. The floor is made of old tiles that have faded over the years, and the wooden counter is worn smooth from all the coins and heavy bags being slid across it. We don't have a big team, just a couple of us who take turns sitting on the plastic chair by the entrance. Dealing with the wholesalers is probably the hardest part, trying to get the prices right so we can keep things affordable for the families living in the colony. It’s a quiet life for the most part, punctuated by the sound of scooters and the occasional chat with a neighbor. We just stay here and keep the shop moving.