The girl was shopping at a kiosk while straddling a bicycle

Emerging from the narrow alley, I found myself in a bustling marketplace. The street suddenly widened, far broader than the cramped lanes I had just navigated. Street vendors had set up their stalls in the middle of the road, while small shops lined both sides. There was still no trace of a touristy atmosphere—just the everyday energy of a local shopping district.

Watching the scene unfold, I couldn’t help but think of Japan’s many shuttered shopping streets—once vibrant community hubs, now eerily quiet. Perhaps, years ago, they had looked much like this, teeming with people and overflowing with life.

Turning my gaze to the side, I spotted a small kiosk—a classic sight in India. Large glass jars filled with cookies sat on the counter (Indians have an undeniable love for sweets), and from the ceiling, small pouches of gutka hung in neat rows. A young girl arrived on a bicycle, stopping to buy something before quickly pedaling away.

The marketplace, alive with movement, felt like a world away from the shadowed alleys behind me.

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