Rohit Store

If you walk down Sonarpura Road toward Shivala Mandir, you will find our small shop. It is a very old part of Varanasi, so the lanes are narrow and it gets quite crowded, especially during festivals. Rohit Store is just a family-run business. We sell basic things like soap, candles, matches, and some food items. Since we are so close to the temple, we also keep some things people might need for their prayers. It gets very dusty because of the bikes passing by, so I am always cleaning the glass jars. We don't have a computer for billing or anything, we just write it down in a notebook or do it in our heads. Sometimes the delivery guys are late and we have to tell people to come back tomorrow. It can be frustrating but that is part of life here. I like sitting on the wooden bench outside when it is quiet in the afternoon. Most of the people who buy from us live in the houses right behind the shop. We know which brand of tea they like and how much sugar they usually take. It’s a simple life running a store in Shivala. We don't have big plans to expand, we just want to keep serving the people who come here. We take things one day at a time and hope for the best.