Nandeep Pan Shop

If you are walking through Dhanakawadi, you will likely pass by Nandeep Pan Shop. We have been here on this street for quite some time. The shop is small, and most of it is taken up by the counter where we prepare the pans. We have a big container of water to keep the leaves fresh and green. On the shelves behind us, we keep all the different brands of cigarettes and small bottles of cold drinks in a tiny fridge that hums loudly. The neighborhood is usually busy with families and students. During the monsoon, the water sometimes splashes inside from the road, so we keep a mop handy. We have a small wooden box for change that is quite old now. The paint on the walls is peeling a bit near the bottom, but we don't mind it much. People stop by on their way home to buy a few things or just to stand and talk for a minute. We don't have any big advertisements or bright lights. Just a simple bulb for the evening hours. The smell of the shop is a mix of wet leaves and the sweet scent of the rose paste we use. It’s just a normal part of the street. We open up every morning and stay until the street lights go off, serving whoever comes to the window.