P.L. General Stores

Varanasi is a city of narrow roads and lots of history, and our shop is right in the middle of it at Malviya Market in Lohatiya. P.L. General Stores is a name that some of the locals here know well because we have been sitting on Malviya Road for a long time. The building is quite old, like most things in this part of U P, and the walls are thick. Outside, there is always the sound of cycle rickshaws and people calling out to each other. We sell all the usual general items, from tea leaves to washing soaps and big containers of oil. The shop is quite deep, so the back stays a bit dark even during the day, and we use old tube lights to see what is on the higher shelves. It gets very crowded in the market during festivals, and sometimes it is hard to even walk on the road outside. We have a routine of sweeping the front area every morning because the dust from the street always finds its way in. Dealing with the wholesalers and getting the bags of rice moved into the storage area is hard work, but it’s just what we do. People stop by to chat as much as they do to buy things. It is a very human way to live, being part of the daily noise and the rhythm of this old city while just trying to run a simple business and keep the shelves stocked for whoever walks in.