Gayatriprasad General Stores

Our shop is tucked right away across from the Mangal Karyalaya, so things get really loud when there is a wedding going on. You can hear the drums and the music all day long sometimes. Being near Vighnaharta Garden means we get a lot of families stopping by in the evenings. The kids always want those brightly colored candies or a cold drink after running around the park. Hadapsar is a busy part of town, but this little corner near the chawl feels a bit more like a village sometimes. We keep a bit of everything on the shelves, from loose tea to those big bars of washing soap. It’s a bit of a squeeze inside the shop because I try to stock as much as possible. I’ve been thinking about painting the walls, but there’s never a good time to close up. The floor is a bit worn out from all the walking. My wife helps me out in the afternoons so I can go home and have lunch. We know most of the people from Nagpur Chawl by their first names. It’s just how it is around here. People come in to buy a single cigarette or a whole kilo of sugar. We don't have any fancy computers, just a simple notebook where I write things down. It’s a lot of work standing all day, but it’s a living. I just keep the shop open and hope for a good day.