You stop by a paan shop for a quick chew, maybe some betel nut, a mouth freshener. But at this little stall in Behala, Kolkata, something is different. Behind the counter isn’t just a paanwala. He’s holding a pen, not just paan leaves and beside him lies a neat stack of Bengali books, written by him.
Meet Pintu Pohan, a betel leaf seller by day and an author by soul.
From the swamps of Madanmohantala to a world of words
Born and raised in the then-swampy lanes of Madanmohantala, just two kilometres from Behala Chowrasta, Kolkata, Pintu’s childhood was marked by hunger, hardship, and uncertainty. “I would often sleep not knowing if I’d eat the next day,” he told The Telegraph India.
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Though he had to drop out after tenth grade, he never stopped dreaming. Working as a helper and factory worker to earn a living, he gradually saved enough to return to education, completing his graduation and later earning a Master’s degree in Bengali in 2015.
Words written between the paan leaves
His literary journey began in school magazines and evolved into something deeper as he sat behind the counter, observing people, imagining stories. “This world, to know it, to understand it — that is what feeds me,” he shares with The Telegraph India.
Though he had to drop out after tenth grade, Pintu never stopped dreaming and now has 12 published books.
From Parul Mashir Chhagol Chhana to Thakurdar Aschorjyo Golpo, his stories have been published in magazines like Desh, Sananda, and Anandamela
The price of dreams: spondylitis, struggles, and survival
Pintu’s stories have been published in magazines like Desh, Sananda, and Anandamela
Writing wasn’t easy. Long hours at the stall led to severe back and neck issues. Pintu was advised by the doctors to rest up for six months, but he couldn’t. Between attending computer classes and language diploma courses, he kept selling paan.
With a wife, a college-going daughter, and a school-going son to care for, Pintu never allowed adversity to break his spirit.
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Today, he continues to write for children and adults alike, hoping to inspire those growing up like he once did, with little more than hunger and hope.