Rajesh Meal & General Store

Rajesh Meal & General Store is over in Chota Lalpur, in the Pandeypur area of Varanasi. We do a mix of things here, selling general items and also serving some simple meals to people who are passing by. It stays quite busy because Pandeypur is a lively place. I usually start the stove early to get the tea and basic food ready for the morning crowd. My brother handles the grocery side of things, selling soap, rice, and spices. The shop is a bit cramped with all the sacks and the cooking area in one spot. We don't have fancy tables, just some basic seating for anyone who wants to eat quickly. Sometimes the smoke from the cooking makes it a bit warm inside, but we keep the fans going. We buy our vegetables and grains from the local mandi every few days to keep things as fresh as we can. It’s just a family-run spot. We don't have a printed menu or anything. We just tell people what we have made for the day. It’s a lot of cleaning and washing dishes throughout the afternoon. We know the rickshaw drivers and the office workers who stop by every day. It’s not a fancy restaurant or a big supermarket. It’s just our small shop where we try to provide what's needed for a fair day's work. It's a simple business and we've been here for years. Every day is the same routine of cooking, selling, and talking to the people from the neighborhood.