Ashok General Store

My family has been around the Shivdaspur area for quite a while now. Ashok General Store is just a small place we run on Vidyapith Road here in Varanasi. It isn’t anything fancy. Most days I’m just here opening up early in the morning, dusting the shelves, and making sure we have enough rice, lentils, and soap for the neighbors. People from Habibpur and Kashi drop by throughout the day. Some stay to chat about the weather or local news, while others are in a big hurry to get home. The shop gets a bit dusty because of the road, but we try to keep things organized. I spend a lot of time checking the expiry dates on packets and talking to the delivery guys who bring the crates of milk and bread. Sometimes the light goes out, and we just use a torch until it comes back. It’s a busy life, but it’s what we know. My hands are usually a bit grey from handling the flour sacks or the cardboard boxes. If you walk past the Shivdaspur area, you will probably see me sitting on the stool near the counter. We have been at this address for years, and the building has seen better days, but it holds everything we need. It is just a regular shop for regular things that people in this part of UP need every day. There is not much more to it than that.