Sharma Grocery Store

Sharma Grocery Store is right at Plot No. 1 in the Main Jia Saray Market. Being so close to IIT Delhi means we get a lot of students coming in at all hours. They are usually looking for notebooks or snacks or something quick to eat because they are always studying. The market is very crowded and our shop is tucked in there with a lot of others. We have to stack things all the way to the ceiling just to make everything fit. It’s a bit of a juggle sometimes to find what someone is asking for, but we usually know where it is hidden. We sell the basic things like pulses, rice, biscuits, and soap. It’s nothing fancy, just a regular corner shop. We open early in the morning and stay open until the last student heads back to the hostel. My family has been running this for a while and we know most of the people who walk through the door. Sometimes the delivery trucks can't get into Jia Sarai because the streets are so narrow, so we have to carry the sacks of flour ourselves. It’s hard on the back but it’s part of the job. We don’t have a fancy sign or anything, just the name on the front. We just try to keep the prices fair and the shelves full so no one walks away empty-handed. That’s how we spend our days.