Bashir Ahmad

My name is Bashir Ahmad, and I run this small place in Natipora, Srinagar, right across from the Doctor Bagh area in Naik Bagh. I’ve been working here for many years, and the shop is basically like a second home to me. It is a very simple setup where I sell the basic things people in the neighborhood need every day. I stock things like pulses, oil, salt, and some household items. The shop isn't large, and I keep most of the stock behind the main counter on wooden racks that I built myself a long time ago. Srinagar can be very cold, so I usually have a kettle of tea ready and a small fire or heater going during the winter days. I don't have a big staff or a fancy billing machine. I just use a pencil and a notebook to keep track of things. Most of my customers are my friends and neighbors from around Naik Bagh. They come in not just to buy things, but also to sit for a minute and talk. The shop has an old wooden door that sometimes sticks in the rain, and the walls are decorated with just a few old calendars. I don't try to make the place look like a modern store. It is just a practical spot for the local community to get what they need without traveling too far. It's a humble way to live, but I'm content with it.