Riya Sen [Guru] Reward Points : 93800 Member Since : Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The paan culture unites India in a strong bond as it has made its presence felt in the erotic literature of ancient India and continues to be part of religious ceremonies. As an addiction, it has few peers. Betel leaf or paan comes in three forms. Banarasi paan comes in pale green or yellow colour and they come in smaller sizes. Whereas Kolkatta paan are bigger in size and looks much fresher in dark green colour. There is one more type of paan known as the Magghai. The uniqueness of this dark green colour paan is that it is very light in weight and quickly melts in the mouth. It is also seasonal. I want to know the origin of this paan culture and its history?
Thank you Rituparna for raising such an interesting topic The omnipresent paan is probably the strongest of bonds that unites India. Even in the ancient literature like kamasutra it has its reference. It is almost impossible to trace the exact date when and how did the paan culture originate in India However from the scriptures and records it can be said that Paan has a prominent place in the history of India. The mention of paan in the great epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata definitely speaks of how deep rooted it is in the Indian culture. Tambol or paan also finds mention in the erotic literature of ancient India. Most Hindu rituals are incomplete without the offering of paan to God. The beetle leaf needed for the ritual is also special. It has to be a complete leaf with the stalk and it is not called paan rather it is called the Naagar Bel. There are also different wedding customs with paan. In Maharashtra, the bride holds a paan roll in her mouth half of which the bridegroom bites from the other end. It denotes the start of a new relationship. In some weddings, paan is tucked into the headgear of the bride and the groom. In bengal the bride holds a paan to conceal her face from the groom prior the custom of shubhadrishti. Paan culture unites the whole of India together. The interesting thing is that it does not have the barriers of rich or poor, young or old, or men or women.
Posted On : 4/7/2009 12:41:46 AM
Bidyut Nath Reward Points : 22200 Member Since : Friday, March 27, 2009
Paan does not mean just the betel leaf. It has to have three things, paan betel leaf, usually two, one on top of the other chuna calcium carbonate spread over the top leaf, katha paste and lastly finely cut betel nuts. The other ingredients which can follow are cardamom, small candies, cloves, cherry, sugar, menthol, lime date and different form of spices. The paan is then folded in a triangular shape for the convenience of the eater to put it in the mouth. Betel leaf or paan comes in three forms. Banarasi paan comes in pale green or yellow colour and they come in smaller sizes. Whereas Kolkatta paan are bigger in size and looks much fresher in dark green colour. There is one more type of paan known as the Magghai. The uniqueness of this dark green colour paan is that it is very light in weight and quickly melts in the mouth. It is also seasonal. Preparation of paan is an art in itself. There are basically four types of preparation meetha, sadaa, kimam and zarda. While the first two don t use tobacco, the other two are meant for the tobacco lovers. Meetha and sada paan have a sweet flavour and is taken as a mouth freshener. They are also good for health. It is invigorating and energizing, a killer of germs and bacteria and an eliminator of cold. It is also a blood purifier. It strengthens the voice, tongue and teeth and guards against diseases. It has herbal properties and can be used in indigestion beetle leaf without tobacco . Paan taken with tobacco like the kimam and zarda paans are not good for health. They are the main culprits behind throat cancer and dental problems. According to Sunil Deol, a panwari in Delhi, People prefer the zarda paan and especially the youngsters are hooked to it. In fact there is an amazing variety in zarda paans like 64, 120. 160 and 300. One thing that has to be taken care of while taking paan is that the stalk of the betel leaf should be cut and the edges must be trimmed because they cannot be digested properly and are also the main culprits of causing diseases. After having lunch or dinner people are found moving towards the Paan shops. Anup Singh, a resident of Mehrauli in the capital is so addidcted to paan that he confesses, I can skip meal for a day but not paan. In rural India, many people start their day with a paan, later they take tea or some other beverage but paan comes first. It acts as an effective mouth freshener. Paan has a prominent place in the history of India. The mention of paan in the great epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata definitely speaks of how deep rooted it is in the Indian culture. Tambol or paan also finds mention in the erotic literature of ancient India. Most Hindu rituals are incomplete without the offering of paan to God. The beetle leaf needed for the ritual is also special. It has to be a complete leaf with the stalk and it is not called paan rather it is called the Naagar Bel. There are also different wedding customs with paan. In Maharashtra, the bride holds a paan roll in her mouth half of which the bridegroom bites from the other end. It denotes the start of a new relationship. In some weddings, paan is tucked into the headgear of the bride and the groom. As much the culture of paan is alive, there is one thing that has definitely vanished from the households of India. Yes, it is the Paandaan . These are small boxes made of different metals like copper, silver, gold, steel etc. Usually there is a flat tray inside the box on which betel leaves and the nut cracker are placed. Underneath the plate there are different compartments to place the various ingredients like cardamom, cloves, aniseed etc. The elders of the family were the ones to use them the most. In fact paandaan also used to come in easy-to-carry- sizes. To offer the paan to the guest was the duty of the host, such was the custom some half a century back. And accepting the paan from the host meant accepting the love and friendship of the host. The Paandaan are today only used as a family treasure to pass it on to the next generation. Preparing paan at home may be outdated and is now considered a time consuming process, when a person can easily get his hand on these mouth watering paan in every corner of the street. It is an ideal round off for any Indian meal. Commercially, these tiny paan shops do a flourishing business and surprisingly there are some 1.5 to 2 million paan outlets in India. It is not that these Paan vendors deal only in paan, but their tiny shops are well stocked with cigarettes, stationery, breads, chocolates, mineral waters and soft drinks from different brands. It is surprising that the Panwari or Paanwala , are the last in the league to keep alive a culture that originated centuries ago. One wonders, though, with the cultural revolution overwhelming the country, how long would chewing gums take to annihilate a culture that has spread across centuries.
Paan Culture In Indian Society
