Ashwini Fruit Stall

Being at the cross of S J P Road and M R R Lane is something else. It is a bit of a maze here in Bangalore. We get the fruit in early, usually while it’s still dark outside. The crates arrive on the trucks, and we have to sort through everything. Some days the mangoes are perfect, other days they are just okay. We put them out on the wooden racks. The stall is right there on the street, so the noise from the traffic never stops. People walking by in Tanaji Nagar often grab an apple or a bunch of bananas on their way to work. It’s a small spot, and we have to stack the baskets high to fit it all. The smell of oranges and pineapples is strong in the afternoon sun. Sometimes the bees come around if we have some overripe fruit, so we have to keep an eye on that. We use a simple scale that’s been here forever. It’s not a fancy supermarket experience. You pick what you want, we weigh it, and you go. Chinchwad is quite far from this part of town, but the name stuck for our stall. We spend most of our day standing on our feet, talking to regulars about the price of onions or how the rains are late. It’s simple work, and we like it that way.