# Bilaspur Vendor Nand Kumar Builds Home and Farmland by Selling Cotton Candy on a Bicycle

> Selling cotton candy near Company Garden in Bilaspur since childhood, Nand Kumar Nirmalkar built his own house and bought farmland through consistent daily earnings.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Chhattisgarh · **Published:** 2026-10-05 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/chhattisgarh/bilaspur-men-kotana-kaindi-bechakara-nand-kumar-ne-snvari-jindagi-banai-apani-jamina-aura-ashiyana-43107 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Bilaspur, Nand Kumar Nirmalkar, Cotton Candy, Bombay Mithai, Self Employment, Success Stories

As dusk settles near Company Garden in the city of Bilaspur, colourful containers strapped to a bicycle immediately catch the eye of passersby and children. Standing beside the cycle is Nand Kumar Nirmalkar, who prepares and sells traditional cotton candy, locally known as Bombay Mithai, crafted from sugar, food colouring, and distinct flavours. Some call it Hawaii Mithai while others refer to it as Gulab Lachhi, but for Nand Kumar, this craft is far more than a simple street trade; it has served as the foundational pillar of his entire household and livelihood.

## Starting from Childhood to Build a Secure Household
Nand Kumar began this work when he was only 10 to 11 years old. From that tender age, he took to the streets with his modest setup, steadily sustaining and raising his family on the proceeds of his daily sales. Over decades of patient labour, the modest earnings allowed him to build a family home, acquire farmland, and eventually take up agricultural cultivation alongside his candy sales. Even today, he maintains that dedicated routine, cycling down to Company Garden every single evening to serve fresh treats to his regular customers.

## Preparation Method and Chimney Equipment
Explaining the technical side of the confection, Nand Kumar noted that the preparation primarily requires granulated sugar, selected flavouring agents, and approved food dyes. These ingredients are combined to achieve the signature airy texture and vibrant colours. To spin the candy, he continues to rely on a traditional chimney-style manual machine. While electric candy-spinning machines are now widely sold across the market, he finds the chimney mechanism substantially more convenient and dependable for his daily outdoor workflow.

## Production Economics and Daily Sales Volume
Breaking down the production numbers, Nand Kumar explained that processing approximately one kilogram of sugar requires between one hour and one hour and fifteen minutes. That single kilogram of sugar yields finished sweets with a retail value of around 650 to 700 rupees. For his regular evening sales, he carries roughly 100 to 120 pieces priced at 10 rupees each, alongside a substantial stock of 20-rupee packs. Driven by consistent street demand, his daily turnover typically reaches around 1000 rupees.

## Low Capital Barrier and Cultivating Self-Reliance
Nand Kumar stresses that entering this trade does not demand large financial investments or formal infrastructure. Anyone from an underprivileged background can launch such a micro-enterprise with very little seed capital and secure an independent living. He also views the work as a practical opportunity for young family members to gain real-world financial literacy. His two children assist him with sales for about one to two hours during their spare time after returning from school.

His eldest son is currently studying in the 12th standard, and his other children are also actively enrolled in school. Nand Kumar explains that participating in the evening sales helps them earn their pocket money while mastering the discipline of honest labour. His ultimate goal is to ensure that alongside their formal schooling, his children understand the true value of diligence, practical trade skills, and economic independence.

## What this means for you
This account demonstrates that a sustainable and independent micro-business can be established with minimal initial capital.

- **Across India:** Aspiring micro-entrepreneurs can see a viable model for building daily income through simple artisanal street products without debt. It confirms that reliance on high-cost machinery is unnecessary to secure regular positive cash flow in municipal markets.
- **In Bilaspur:** Visitors near Company Garden continue to access affordable local confections from a trusted community vendor. It also provides a visible local template for youth seeking productive ways to utilize their evening hours.
- **Margins and Returns:** Turning one kilogram of sugar into sweets worth 650 to 700 rupees offers exceptionally high value addition on raw ingredients. This serves as practical data for anyone evaluating rapid-turnover food retail ventures.
- **Balancing Schooling and Work:** Students can support their personal pocket expenses by dedicating just one to two hours following school hours. This encourages financial literacy and early work ethic without compromising classroom commitments.

## Why this happened
Nand Kumar Nirmalkar took up this craft between the ages of 10 and 11 out of economic necessity and persevered with it for decades.

- **Low Barrier to Entry:** The business required no commercial shop lease, extensive infrastructure, or heavy financial investment. A simple bicycle, a chimney-based spinning apparatus, and basic sugar enabled immediate operational viability.
- **Choice of Dependable Tools:** Despite electric machines entering the market, he retained the traditional chimney setup due to its portability and lack of dependence on power outlets. This operational reliability kept his evening sales consistent across changing seasons.
- **Financial Prudence:** Instead of exhausting daily cash revenues, he systematically directed his surplus into home construction and agricultural land. This disciplined approach transformed a modest street vending trade into generational family assets.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Where does Nand Kumar sell cotton candy in Bilaspur?
He sets up his bicycle near Company Garden in Bilaspur every evening to sell cotton candy.

### 2. At what age did he start this business?
Nand Kumar started selling cotton candy when he was just 10 to 11 years old.

### 3. How much candy is produced from one kilogram of sugar?
One kilogram of sugar takes about one to one and a quarter hours to yield sweets worth approximately 650 to 700 rupees.

### 4. What packet sizes does he sell and what is his daily turnover?
He sells 100 to 120 pieces priced at 10 rupees alongside 20-rupee packs, achieving around 1000 rupees in daily sales.

### 5. Which type of machine does he use to spin the candy?
He uses a traditional chimney-style machine because he finds it more convenient and practical than electric alternatives.

### 6. What assets has he acquired through this earnings stream?
Using his earnings from this trade, he built his own home, bought land, and initiated farming activities.

### 7. How do his children balance their studies with assisting in the work?
After finishing school, his children help him sell candy for one to two hours, learning practical trade skills and covering their pocket expenses.

## Inspiration & Lessons
Nand Kumar's journey proves that long-term persistence and prudent capital allocation matter far more than the initial scale of a business.

- **Never Let Limited Resources Deter You:** Beginning with minimal materials and basic equipment can still lay the groundwork for substantial personal progress.
- **Convert Daily Surplus into Permanent Assets:** Systematically channeling daily earnings into real property and farmland builds lasting generational stability.
- **Instill Early Self-Reliance in the Next Generation:** Encouraging children to master practical crafts alongside their academic studies equips them with resilience and respect for hard work.

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