Ravi Singh Pan Bidi Shop

The shop is right here in Vikhroli West, and honestly, it’s been the same for as long as I can remember. My name is Ravi, and I spend most of my day inside this small wooden cabin. It’s not very wide, so I have to keep everything organized or I can’t move. I stock the bidi packs on the top shelf and keep the pan supplies right in front of me. The street outside gets dusty, so I’m always dusting off the glass jars with an old cloth. People come by for a smoke or a quick sweet pan after they eat at the stalls nearby. Some days are slow, especially when the sun is hitting the front of the shop directly and it gets too hot to stand. I usually keep a small fan running, but it doesn't do much. You meet all kinds of people in this part of town. Some want to chat about the cricket score, while others just grab their stuff and leave without a word. I don't mind either way. It’s a steady life, even if the legs get a bit tired from standing on the concrete floor all day. I’ve thought about painting the front a different color, but everyone knows it as it is now. It's just a local shop for the neighborhood folks to get what they need. I usually close up around ten at night and head home to my family.