Samrudhi Pan Shop

Running Samrudhi Pan Shop in Hadapsar is a busy job. Hadapsar is always crowded, so there is never a dull moment at the counter. The shop is located right where people gather, so I see a lot of different faces every day. My day starts with getting the fresh leaves delivered and then sorting through them to throw out the bruised ones. I keep the gulkand and the various powders in these plastic containers that I’ve had for a long time. The space is tight, so I have to be organized or I’ll never find anything. It gets really bright in the afternoon because of the way the sun hits the front of the shop. I usually have a small radio playing some old songs to pass the time when it's slow. People around here are usually in a rush, so I have to work fast with my hands. I’ve got the rhythm down now after so many years. To be honest, it’s a lot of standing around, but I like talking to the people who stop by. We don't do any big promotions. If the pan is good, people come back, and that’s about it. At night, I just lock up the boxes, pull the shutter down, and head home. It’s a straightforward life without any of that corporate stuff people talk about these days. I just keep the jars full and the counter wiped down for the next morning.