Basanta Saloon

Basanta Saloon is located right on Kestopur Bazar Road in Kolkata. If you live around Krishnapur, you probably pass us every day. The shop has been here for years, and not much has changed inside. We have the old-style chairs that are still comfortable enough for a quick trim. It gets pretty loud outside with all the market noise, but inside it’s just the usual snipping of scissors and some local gossip. We don't have air conditioning, so the ceiling fans stay on high speed most of the year. Our mirrors have a few spots on them from age, but they show you what you need to see. Most guys come in for a beard trim or a simple summer cut. We know the families around here, seeing the kids grow up and start coming in on their own. It is a small place. You might have to stand near the door if the benches are full on a Sunday morning. We use simple tools and try to keep things moving so nobody waits too long. The floor gets covered in hair quickly, but we sweep it up every few hours. It’s just a neighborhood spot where you don't have to dress up to come in. We are just here doing the work every day from morning until the lights go out at night. We don't have a website or anything like that. People just know where we are.