Monika Provision & Krana Stores

This shop, Monika Provision & Krana Stores, is located at Vinayaknagar 681, right on the corner of 1st Main and 1st Cross in Bhosarigoan. It’s been our family business for a long time. The space is filled with the smell of spices and raw grains. We have these big open sacks of rice and dal sitting on the floor. Most of my day is spent weighing out portions into plastic bags and tying them with string. It’s dusty work and my clothes usually have a bit of flour on them by noon. The shop isn't very modern. We still use an old scale for some things, though we have a digital one now too. The walls could use a fresh coat of paint, but there is never a good time to close up and do it. We get a lot of workers stopping by in the morning for small packets of tea or cigarettes. It gets crowded during the monsoon because the roof has a tiny leak near the back, so we have to move the stock around to keep it dry. You learn to recognize the sound of different customers' scooters pulling up outside. We don't have a website or anything. If someone needs something, they just walk in and ask. It’s simple. We try to keep prices fair because we know everyone in the neighborhood. It is just a basic way to make a living, honestly.