Ravi Provision & General Stores

Running Ravi Provision & General Stores keeps us pretty busy most days of the week. We are located over on Ashok Marg in Sarnath, right in the heart of things here in Varanasi. It is a basic provision shop, nothing too complicated or high-end. We stock the things families use every day, like flour, oil, and various spices. We try to keep enough on hand so nobody leaves disappointed, though sometimes we run out of the popular stuff if the supplier is late getting through the city traffic. The building isn't brand new, and the paint is peeling a little in the back corner, but the shelves are always full. Customers usually stop by on their way home to grab a few things for dinner. We have a small stool near the counter where people sometimes sit for a minute to catch their breath and talk about the heat or the rain. It is more than just selling goods; it is about being part of the street life. My hands are usually a bit dusty from handling the heavy grain sacks, and there is always something to sweep up near the entrance. Sometimes the stray dogs wait near the door for a scrap of bread, and we don't mind them much. We don't use any big computers for the bills, just a pen and paper mostly. It has worked for us this long, so we just keep going.