Friday 26 / April / 2024
Kolkata: A man in the Indian state of West Bengal has been selling plates of spiced chickpeas for the last 15 years, and hasn’t raised his prices since he first set up his stall.
Basudev Mondol, who operates outside the SSKM Hospital in the state capital of Kolkata, sells his plates of channa masala for just INR 10 a plate – equivalent to less than sixty baisas.
His fare does seem to be quite popular: there are some who eat up to 20 plates of the snack at a time, while others consume it much more moderately.
The hard work and effort Basudev takes into making sure his stall is open every day is an inspiration to all. He lives in Sonarpur, a town that is 20 km away from the capital, which means he finishes cooking his food at 2am, starts cycling to Kolkata at 4am, and reaches the hospital gate two hours later.
The man’s daily 40km ride to provide for his family, however, does not see him attempt to maximize profit: children and the old can eat from his stall for free.
