Mintu Pan Bhandar

Mintu Pan Bhandar is a small shop located on Pandu Road in the Bara Bazar area of Guwahati. We mainly focus on making pan, so we have the beetle leaves, nuts, and all the different spices laid out in front of us. It is a very small space, just enough for one or two people to stand inside and work. The smell of tobacco and sweet lime is always in the air. We also keep some cigarettes, matches, and small candies for the kids who walk by. Pandu is a busy part of Guwahati, and since we are on the main road, people often pull over their cars or bikes just to get a pan after their meal. The rain in Assam can be very heavy, so we have a small tin roof that makes a lot of noise when it pours. We keep a few chairs outside for people to sit and talk for a bit. It is not a corporate business; it’s just a small stall that has been here for a long time. I start early in the morning by washing the leaves and preparing the mixtures. The work is mostly with my hands, and I know exactly how each regular customer likes their pan made. It’s a simple routine that repeats every day. We don't have a big sign, just the name and the smell of the ingredients. Sometimes the traffic is loud, but we get used to it quickly. We just stay here and serve the pan.