Another male bastion falls!
Labhuben Harkabhai Khokhariya, perhaps India's first female paanwali, signifies the amazing spirit of the Gujaratis from Saurashtra. This lady entered this, thus far, exclusive male preserve, to make and sell paans (condiments wrapped in a betel leaf) to truck drivers and others traversing at Atkot village, east of Rajkot, on the Rajkot-Bhavnagar highway.
"What was I to do?" she explained, "My husband is not keeping well and someone had to run the shop. So I took up the profession and I assure you I make a good paan." Labhuben has been married for 35 years and they have owned this shop in Atkot for the last 20 years. Earlier, her husband ran the shop but for the last four years or so, she has been running the business. The shop also offers snack items and cold drinks, while tea is brewed by an assistant in front of the shop.
Does she ever face harassment from her male customers? Paans are mostly eaten by men and are considered an aphrodisiac, often consumed after dinner. Labhuben admitted that initially, there were frowns, but no more.
"If anyone gets fresh with me, I give him a piece of my mind and would not hesitate to hit him," she declared. Neighbouring shopkeepers ensure that no one ever troubles her.
"I am an angootha chhap (illiterate). I can't do any other work. And why should I let this wonderful shop shut down when we built it with so much effort? So I work here," she says with pride. Labhuben doesn't run the shop alone. When she can't make it to the shop, her younger daughter Shobhna sits in for her. Shobhna has done her MCom and is now studying law at Saurashtra University, Rajkot.
She says she might become a lawyer but would prefer becoming a bank officer. "The problem is that to get a bank job you have to pay a huge bribe of almost up to Rs 300,000. That is my hurdle, but let's see, if I get the chance I'll pay it. It is a small investment and an officer is highly respected."
Shobhna's elder sister works in the police and her younger brother, who did not graduate, helps run the business. Currently, he is busy setting up another shop.
Do remember to buy a paan from the paanwali of Atkot!