Not just ‘Moksh Dahini’ but ‘Dhan Dahini’: Boom time for roadside stalls, eateries in Mahakumbh Nagar
Many family members are running their small ‘shops’ in shifts with one manning it during morning, another during afternoon and third one during the night
kenneth.john@partner.htlive.in

It’s boom time for small-time sellers of snacks like the tasty ‘Bati-Chokha, peanut jaggery strips, ‘Chai-Pakodi’ besides items of daily need including vermillon, cosmetics, puja items, jerry cans to carry Ganga Jal, etc at kiosks lining the Mahakumbh Nagar streets.
Many family members are running their small ‘shops’ in shifts with one manning it during morning, another during afternoon and third one during the night. With pilgrims pouring in by lakhs each day, these vendors are registering good sales each day with earnings peaking during bathing days.
Abhay Sharma, 38, a graduate, has come from Ghazipur to sell ‘Bati-Chokha’ in the mela area. He has priced it at ₹50 a plate and manages to sell nearly 70 to 80 servings every day, pocketing ₹3,500 to ₹4,000. On peak days, during official bathing, his income doubles.
“I had planned it two months before the commencement of Mahakumbh. The mela is not just ‘Moksh Dahini’ (salvation giver) but ‘Dhan Dahini’ (money giver) also for people like us,” he said.
Similarly, Balram, 55 and his wife, Prem Kumar, 50, have come from Gonda. They have been selling ‘Chai-Pakori’ in sector 3 of the mela since January 7. Every day they earn between ₹700 to ₹1,200.
“We have come to the mela with twin purposes. To bathe twice every
day at the Sangam, perform puja once in the morning besides sell ‘Chai-Pakori’ all through the day. It is selling like hot cakes due to the cold wave. Pilgrims order tea and with it also order the eatable too. Both the items gel-well with the crowd,’ he added.
Balram said that in the morning he goes to Sangam for a dip while his wife stays at the temporary shop and during evening it is vice-versa.
Priyanka Gupta (18) arrived with her parents from Rewa with different tasks. While her parents’ aim was to practise Kalpwas, she is selling Puja items in the Mela area.
“My parents are practising Kalpwaas in sector 11. I came along to earn some money. We eat and live together in sector 11. In the morning, I put up my roadside shop of puja items anywhere in the Mela where I see a crowd. My daily earnings are between ₹400 to ₹800. During two bathing days, on January 13 and 14, I sold puja items for over ₹4,000,” Priyanka said.
Pushpa Verma, 28, from Sidhi, Madhya Pradesh, is also selling puja items in the Mela. Her income swells to more than double on peak days.
