Chetan General Store

Varanasi is a city that never really sleeps, and Rama Pura is no different. Chetan General Store is tucked away at D-47/93, not too far from St Mathews. We have got a lot of history in this area. The shop is old and the wooden shelves have seen better days, but they hold everything from dal to school notebooks. Every morning, you can hear the bells from the temples and the sound of people heading down to the ghats. We open up early because the school kids need their pens or small snacks before their classes start. It is a bit chaotic in the morning hours with everyone rushing, but then it settles down into a slow rhythm for the rest of the day. We spend a lot of time just arranging the packets of chips or making sure the rice sacks are kept off the floor. The walls could probably use a fresh coat of paint, but we never seem to find the time to empty everything out to do it. My father started this place, and I just kept it going because it is what I know. We do not do any advertising or anything like that. People just know we are here. If they need something for their kitchen or a quick recharge for their phone, they come to us. We talk about the weather while I bag up their items.