Uttam Pan Shop

Uttam Pan Shop is located right in Shukrawar Peth, not too far from Vimal Gardan. If you know this part of the city, you know it gets pretty crowded with people going about their business. My family has been around this area for years, and we just kept the shop going because it’s what we know how to do. The space inside is a bit cramped because we keep a lot of containers and jars stacked up on the wooden shelves. It’s usually me or my brother sitting there on the old wooden bench. We start early because the morning air is better for setting things up before the humidity kicks in. Near Vimal Gardan, there is always some noise from the street, but you get used to it after a while. Most of our days are spent just chatting with neighbors or the delivery guys who need a break. We don’t really do any advertising or anything like that. People just know where we are because we’ve been at this spot in Shukrawar Peth for so long. The light inside is a bit dim because the bulb flickers sometimes, but it does the job. It’s a plain place, nothing special to look at from the outside, but it is home to us. Working at Uttam Pan Shop is just our daily routine, and we don’t expect that to change much. We just keep the jars filled and the floor swept as best as we can.