Muthu Pandian Store

If you’re ever traveling down Sankarankovil Main Road in Alangulam, you’ll find Muthu Pandian Store. It’s a small place, but we try to pack it with as much as we can. I started this store because there wasn't much else nearby for the locals at the time. We sell all the usual things—dal, spices, some sweets for the kids, and household items like detergents. The shelves are wooden and a bit old now, but they hold up the weight just fine. I like sitting near the front so I can see who’s coming and going on the main road. It gets dusty, especially in the summer, so I'm often wiping down the jars. Most of the people who come in are from the nearby houses. We know each other by name, and we usually chat for a few minutes about family or the crops if the weather's been dry. I don't have a computer or anything; I still write down the accounts in a big ledger book at the end of the night. It's how I've always done it. It’s not a complicated life, just running the store and making sure I have what people ask for. Sometimes a traveler stops in for a cold drink or a pack of biscuits, which is always a nice change. It’s just a simple shop serving the people of Alangulam. I've been at it for a good number of years now and the neighbors seem to appreciate having a place so close.