A Paan Lover

Step into SN Pande’s paan shop in Connaught Place and you can view paintings by the artist. “My father said that Hussein sahab tried our saada paan laced with a saffron-based khushboo chutney and fell in love with it,” says Om Pande,SN Pande’s son.

The shop moved to New MP’s market in North Avenue in early 1970s but Husain came back,year after year,to savour his favourite saada paan,and his friendship with SN Pande developed.

A few years back,he gifted his famous painting,Sanjeevani Booti — to SN Pande,but with a difference. In the painting,instead of carrying the Sanjeevani Booti,Hanuman is carrying paan leaves with him.