Santoshi Pan & Genral Store

This shop is on Gandhi Road in Pandesara, at number 220. It is a mix of a pan shop and a general store. I try to keep a bit of everything because you never know what someone might need at nine at night. I have soap, biscuits, some notebooks, and of course the pan. The shelves go all the way to the ceiling, so I have to use a small wooden ladder to reach the stuff on top. It’s always a bit dusty up there no matter how much I clean. The floor is concrete and I sweep it every morning, but the wind from the road brings the dirt back in pretty fast. Gandhi Road is always noisy with trucks and rickshaws going by all the time. I spend a lot of time just sitting behind the counter waiting for the next person to walk in. Sometimes the neighborhood kids come in and spend ages trying to decide which candy they want with their one rupee. I just wait for them to choose. There’s no rush. I’ve got a small TV in the corner that mostly just shows the cricket scores or the local news. During the rainy season, the water sometimes pools right in front of the door. I have to put some heavy bricks down for people to step on so they don't get their shoes wet. It isn't a fancy business, just a place where people get what they need.