Shops without attendants common in N-E Mizoram

Mizoram: Shop owners along a highway in India's northeastern Mizoram have sustained their living more on the integrity of their customers than on the little they manage to collect from the forest. 'Nghah lou dawr' shop, which means shops without attendants are common along the highway in Seling, about 65 kilometers from the capital Aizawl. The shop owners leave their shops open for their customers passing the highway to pick up their requirement. Vegetables, fruits and flowers that the shop owners manage to collect from nearby forest are kept for selling with the rate list and a container for the customers to put the money. "We run this shop the whole year. We just put the price list near the vegetable or anything we are selling and people simply pick up what ever they like and put the money in the container. Sometime they even broke the change by themselves. We trust them, they have never failed us," said Vanlaldika, a shop owner of Nghah Lou Dawr'shop. As vegetables are not available round the year, the shop owners sell whatever they are able to procure from the forest and mountains. Expressing their satisfaction with the prevalence of such shops, a local said it has been possible due to the honesty of people. "I am aware of this kind of practice of shops without attendants. I often buy from such shops. I feel great that Mizoram has such kind of vendors. I believe this should be the real practice of the Christian nature," said R.Lalthanzuala, a customer. Though, the shop owners, few in numbers, may not be earning for their sustenance, they are happy that their customers never fail them. Bureau Report