Krishna Kirana Store

Krishna Kirana Store is right across from the Central Bank in the Railway Gunj area. It's a noisy part of town because of the trains and the bank traffic, but we like the energy. I’ve been running this shop since my father handed it over to me. We sell all the basics like dal, rice, sugar, and loose tea leaves. The shelves are mostly made of old wood that we painted a few years back. Sometimes the paint flakes off, but it still holds the weight of the jars. We have these big gunny bags of grain sitting on the floor near the entrance. Customers usually just point at what they want and we weigh it out on the old scale. The scale isn't digital, but it’s accurate enough for what we do. In the afternoons when it's quiet, I sit on a stool and read the paper. Then the bank employees come out for their break and the shop gets busy again. We keep a few cold sodas in a small fridge in the corner for when it gets hot. The fridge rattles a lot, but it keeps things cool. We don't have a delivery van or anything. People just carry their bags home or use a cycle. It’s a straightforward business. We know which neighbors prefer which brand of soap. Most of our day is just spent chatting with regulars and making sure we don't run out of salt or matches. We just keep the shop open for whoever needs us.