Shanta Mani Hand Made Paper Industry

Shanta Mani Hand Made Paper Industry is a small operation run by Kumar Vikram, who is the son of Sri Vinod Kumar. We are based in Mustaffabad, on Road No. 1 in Hanuman Nagar, which is part of Gaya in Bihar. Our work is all about making paper by hand, a slow and very physical process. We don't have big machines or high-tech equipment in our workshop. Instead, it’s all about the pulp and the screens and the drying racks. The weather here in Gaya really dictates our schedule because the paper needs to dry properly. If it’s too humid or raining, everything slows down. Our pin code is 823001. The neighborhood of Hanuman Nagar is a busy place, and we are right in the middle of it. Our office is just a small corner of the workspace where we keep our records and talk to people who come by. Since it’s a family business, there’s always someone around who knows the history of what we do. We don’t have a big corporate structure or any polished sales pitches. We just focus on making good paper with the tools we have. It’s a messy job sometimes, with water and pulp everywhere, but there’s a lot of satisfaction in seeing the finished sheets. We take it day by day and try to keep the tradition of handmade paper alive in our corner of Bihar. It is hard work but we wouldn't have it any other way.