‘Serving paan is an art’

There is a constant smile on his face every time a customer arrives. Dudhnath Shukla, 75 in a scruffy white shirt calls himself an artist who hails from Gonda, Uttar Pradesh. “My father Lakshmi Narayan Shukla started this art and I am continuing this ever since 1948. This is the only thing that I do. It gives me immense pleasure of making my customers happy.”

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With the background music of ‘zindagi ke safar me guzar jate h jo mukam‘, his shop near the Odeon Cinema gives a reflection of a place from the 1970s. With a sense of confidence, Dudhnath said, “My children have learnt it from me and they are earning more than they would have made from any job.”

His shop serves more than 17 varieties of paan and is a perfect place for any paan connoisseur. He further adds that through this he came across some of the most generous souls. Eminent personalities like Dev Anand used to be his father’s customer, he claims. “Dev Anandji gave a Rs 10 note for a 5 paisa pan to my father.”

Varieties of paan

He goes on to count an enviable clientele which includes the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Gandhi, Robert Vadra and Rahul Gandhi.

Plain, sweet, and tobacco paan still remain an all-time favorite. To cater to the GenX, the shop offers many different varieties like couple paan, chocolate paan, strawberry paan, jumbo paan, fruit and nut paan, cho moco paan and nut chocolate paan.

His paans are in demand outside India as well. He adds, “My son Virender has gone to Italy and South Africa for weddings and functions.”

He says there is a huge difference now in the way paan is served. “Customers are concerned about neatness and hygiene. The decoration also plays an important part now. They inquire about the kind of water used to wash the leaves. Sometimes it bothers me. But it’s all about my customers happiness,” he says.

Known for its rich and vibrant taste in food, it’s people like Dudhnath who are trying hard to preserve the culture by carrying forward the legacy.