Mohan Lal And Sons

If you walk down Bhu Road in the Lanka area of Varanasi, you will see Mohan Lal And Sons sitting right opposite the Ravidas Gate. That big gate is a major landmark and most people use it to find their way to us. This is a family-run business and it has been operating in this spot for quite a long time now. We deal with all the typical general items that any household might need to keep things running. Students from the nearby university often walk past our door and stop in to grab a pen or a packet of chips between their classes. Because we are right on the main road, there is always a thin layer of dust on the wooden counter that I have to wipe off every couple of hours. It gets really busy in the evenings when everyone is out for a walk or heading home from their jobs. We have different sections for things like spices, stationery, and cleaning supplies, but it all gets a bit jumbled up when the shop is full of people. The floor is made of old stone and it’s worn down in the spots where people stand the most while waiting to be served. We don’t use any computers for our billing, just a simple notebook and a pen, which works fine for what we do. It is a steady, simple rhythm of life here near Ravidas Gate and we just keep the shop open for whoever needs us.