Jha Ji Pan Bhandhar

You can find Jha Ji Pan Bhandhar right on the Neb Sarai Main Road. It’s just a small shack really, but we’ve been here for a long time. I sit on a low stool most of the day, surrounded by jars of different spices and pastes. The main road is always noisy with buses and bikes zooming past. It gets really hot in the summer because the shop is open to the street. I use a wet cloth to keep the leaves fresh under a damp jute bag. People pull over their bikes and stay for a quick chat while I prepare their order. I’ve got a rhythm to it now, folding the leaves just right. Sometimes my fingers are stained green for days. The wooden counter is stained with years of work. I have a small mirror on the wall so people can check their faces after they eat. We don’t have any fancy lights, just a single bulb that hangs from the ceiling. When it rains, the water splashes up from the road, and I have to move my stuff back a bit. I know most of the people who live in Neb Sarai because they stop here at least once a week. It’s a simple business, nothing more than what you see. I just keep the jars filled and the leaves ready for whoever comes by next.