Swami Samarth General Store

Swami Samarth General Store is down in the Sadashiv Peth area of Pune, specifically in Khajina Vihar Lane. It’s an old part of the city, so the lanes are narrow and there’s a lot of history around us. Our shop is near the Khajina Vihir, and we’ve been here serving the local people for a long time. It’s a small shop, Shop No.3, and it's usually packed with all sorts of things from floor to ceiling. We sell things like notebooks, pens, different kinds of dals, and bathing soaps. Pune weather is usually nice, but it can get quite rainy, and then we have to worry about the dampness getting into the shop. I spend most of my day sitting behind the counter, weighing items on the old scale. Students from the nearby hostels often come in for Maggi or some biscuits late in the evening. I know most of the people who walk past the door and we usually exchange a nod or a few words. The shop doesn't have air conditioning, just a small fan that wobbles a bit, but it’s enough. We don’t do any big advertising; people just know we are here when they run out of sugar or tea. It’s a simple life in the heart of Pune, and I like being part of this old neighborhood where everyone knows everyone else.