Chourasiya Pan Bhanda

If you walk through Gumanpura, you know how crowded it gets, especially near the Ladpur area. Our little shop, Chourasiya Pan Bhanda, has been sitting here in Kota H O for years now. It’s just a small counter, really, but it stays busy from the time the sun goes down until late at night. We spend our days getting the leaves ready and making sure the jars are filled up. There is always a radio playing somewhere nearby and the smell of tobacco and sweets in the air. People stop their bikes right out front and shout their orders while they wait. It can get pretty loud and chaotic, but that is just the way Gumanpura is. We know which regulars like their pan sweet and who wants something stronger. We don't have a lot of space, so we are always bumping into each other behind the counter. The wood of the shop is worn down from years of use, and we have a small light that flickers a bit when the wind blows too hard. It’s not much to look at, but it’s our living. We see everything that happens on this street. From the students coming home from classes to the older men who just want to sit and talk for a few minutes. We just stay here, keep our hands busy, and watch the world go by one customer at a time.