Suraj Mini Market

The shutters go up at Suraj Mini Market and the first thing we do is check the milk delivery. We are on Khondhwa Mysore Road, so there are always people passing by on their way to work or school. It’s a small space, but we pack a lot into it. Shelves are filled with everything from soap to snacks. You have to know where everything is, otherwise, you spend all day searching. It’s mostly just me and a couple of others here. We know the regulars by their voices before they even walk through the door. Someone wants a specific brand of tea, another person is looking for a pen. It’s a lot of small interactions all day long. The floor needs mopping twice a day because of the dirt from the road. Mysore Road gets dusty. We keep the fan running to stay cool, but it mostly just moves the warm air around. There’s a certain rhythm to it. Morning rush, quiet afternoon, and then the busy evening when everyone is heading home. We don’t have any big signs or fancy lights. It’s just a shop where you can get what you need without much fuss. Sometimes the change runs low, and we have to ask the neighbor for some coins. That’s how the street works. Everyone helps each other out. It’s a simple shop in a busy part of town, and that’s fine with us.