Sanjay Pan Palace

My shop is in New Moti Nagar at Bi/241-243. It’s just a small place where I put together pan for people passing by. I’ve got all my jars lined up on the shelf—kattha, lime, and all the different sweets. I spend a lot of time sitting on my small stool, folding leaves. It’s a habit now, my fingers just move on their own. The evening is when it really gets busy. People finish their dinner and come out for a walk. They stand around the shop, talking about their day or the news. I listen to a lot of conversations while I work. I’ve seen kids grow up and start coming here on their own. The glass on the counter gets smudged with fingerprints, so I’m always cleaning it with a piece of old newspaper. New Moti Nagar has changed a lot, but this corner feels mostly the same. I have some lights around the mirror to make it look a bit brighter at night. It’s not a big palace like the name says, just a little stall where I’ve spent most of my life. I like the smell of the fresh betel leaves when I open the bundle in the morning. It’s a quiet kind of life, but I’m okay with that. I’ll be here tonight, just like I was yesterday, waiting for the evening rush to start.