Shree General Store

We’ve been sitting here at B-1/205 near Assi Ghat for quite a while now. Most people around the Dwarikadhish Mandir know where to find us when they run out of milk or need a quick packet of biscuits. It’s just a small space, really, and we try to keep the shelves full of the basic things families use every day. Living and working in Varanasi means things move at their own pace. In the mornings, when the sun is just coming up over the river, we’re usually opening up the shutters. It’s a bit noisy with the pilgrims walking toward the ghat, and our shop is right in the middle of it. We don't have fancy computers or a big staff. It is mostly just us handling the counter and making sure the rice sacks are stacked properly. Sometimes the place gets a bit dusty from the street outside, but that is just part of being near the main road. Customers come in, tell us about their day, and pick up what they need. It’s a simple life. We don’t have every brand in the world, just the ones people here like and use. There are days when it gets really crowded and people have to wait a minute, but nobody seems to mind much. We just keep doing what we do, day in and day out, making sure the neighborhood has a place to grab their essentials without having to go too far. The light in the shop flickers sometimes, and the fan makes a clicking sound, but we’re used to it.