I generally have dinner at a South Indian restaurant on Lanka Road called Sagar Ratna. It’s perfect for light South Indian dishes, but what was most fun today was a visit to a very famous paan shop in the city called Keshav Tumbul Paan Bhandar. It was the best paan I have had in ages. The owner was an old, stout man who was an expert in preparing the softest, most mouth-watering paan.
“You see, our paans are different. You don’t need to chew them; just put them in your mouth, and they will melt. These are so gentle that they will just melt in your mouth. These are the most delicate paans in the world,” said the man, who was the younger brother of the founder.
Benaras Ki Shaan: Keshav Tumbul Paan Bhandar
“We have been in operation for fifty-eight years. I am the third generation. See, even the Prime Minister Modi ji eats my paan; he gets them packed as well. We also supplied paans at Abhishek Bachchan’s wedding, and my elder brother even served a paan to Amitabh ji. All politicians love our paan. We have also served Rajnath Singh and Singhal Sahib. Our motto is simple: we only use the best ingredients, and they are safe and clean. We place a lot of emphasis on purity. We serve Maghai paan and even Sada Patta. We have lots of variety here.” The man informed me, rather excitedly, that I was taking pictures of the inside of his shop.
There was a picture of the owner with Modi ji, the pride of his shop, and there was a garland around the picture. The shop was very simple and basic, but it had some space. It was neat and clean, with all the ingredients neatly placed in their containers. There is a large portrait of Lord Balaji inside the shop. The name of the shop is written in Hindi on the outside wall, so that no one can miss it.
I made sure my paan was served rolled in silver foil, which just added to the taste. In seconds, the paan melted in my mouth, and I was encouraged to have it all in one gulp. So, I just put the whole paan in my mouth, and it melted. Within minutes, my food got digested, and I was feeling very light and invigorated. It gave me a high, and I felt relaxed and excited. The paan and its ingredients had a pleasant impact on me, and I loved the taste. I recommend it to all who visit the city: don’t miss the paan at Keshav Tumbul Paan Bhandar.
