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| Khaike Paan Banaras Wala!: The Neglected Green Gold of India | | | Dr. Pragya Khanna | 12/28/2018 9:31:37 PM |
| Paan, the glossy, heart shaped, evergreen betel leaf available all round the year belongs to the division of Magnoliophyta in the plant kingdom. Though grown extensively in India, Malaysia is said to be its country of origin. Paan is thought of as something uniquely Indian, however, chewing paan is common in all of south and Southeast Asia and throughout the Pacific Ocean. The earliest historical record we know is in the Mahawamsa of Sri Lanka, written in the 2nd century in the Pali language.
Paan has been an important part in social life and customs for hundreds of years in India. It is also an essential part of Hindu life. Money is placed on it while payments are made to priests. In Bengali weddings the bride enters the marriage platform covering her face with two paan leaves. She removes them at the fortunate time of exchange of first glances with the groom. Also, paan is offered as a gesture of hospitality all over India and is considered to be very holy. Reference of paan is also found in Shrimad Bhagavatam as Lord Krishna used to chew it.
At one time paan served the purpose of lipstick. The pouting red lips of young women have been the theme of many folk songs as well as classical literature. In the courts of the Moghul kings and other medieval rulers, paan was chewed as a palate cleanser and a breath freshener; and was offered as part of hospitality, friendship and love. Paan eating was taken to its pinnacle of cultural sophistication in the pre-partition era in North India, mainly Lucknow, where paan eating became an elaborate cultural tradition, and was seen as a ritual of the utmost ethnicity.
The paan is also a part of Vietnamese culture. There is a saying that the betel leaf starts off the conversation. It kicks off formal gatherings and sort of breaks the ice. In South East Asia the groom, as a token of exchange, traditionally offers paan to the parents of the bride. The phrase 'matters of betel and areca' are synonymous with marriage in Vietnam.
The paan leaves are generally chewed either by itself or in combination with Supari, a fruit of the areca palm (Areca catech); Katha, a reddish solution derived from the wood of the tree Acacia catechu which is an astringent and disinfectant. It is Katha that enhances the redness in the mouth when chewing paan. The same redness found in the streets and on the walls due to spitting out by paan eaters. The supari (areca nut) reacts with chuna, the usual lime, calcium oxide or hydroxide to produce a narcotic called arecoline. In medicinal terms, arecoline stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. This results in a contraction of the pupils and an increased secretion of tears and saliva, especially the latter. The other ingredients include elaichi (cardamom), Laong (clove), Saunf (fennel) etc.
Preparation of paan is an art and the technique is passed down from generation to generation. This has been in practice for centuries and was a trend among aristocrats. The traditional way of paan making, storing and serving is interesting. The leaves are stored by covering them in a moist, red coloured cloth called 'shaal-baaf' inside a metal coffer called 'paandaani'. The paandaani has several lidded compartments, each for storing a different filling or spice. To serve, a leaf is removed from the wrapping cloth, de-veined, and katha and lime paste is generously applied on its surface. This is topped with tiny pieces of areca nuts, cardamom, saffron, coconut pieces/powder, cloves, etc., according to the eater's personal preferences. The leaf is folded in a special manner into a triangle, called 'gilouree' and is ready to be eaten.
On special occasions, the gilouree is wrapped in delicate silver leaf (warq). To serve, classically a silver pin was inserted to prevent the gilouree from unfolding, and placed inside a domed casket called 'Khaas-daan'. Some paan makers now insert the pointed end of a clove to prevent the 'gilouree' from unfolding. Alternatively, the gilouree is sometimes held together by a paper or foil folded into a funnel with the gilouree's pointed end inserted inside it. Voracious paan eaters do not swallow; instead, they chew it, enjoying its flavours and then spit it into a spittoon.
Once an integral part of the household, the paan boxes today have become a part of Indian artefacts. The most characteristic feature was the perforation work either on the lid or in the entire case. The perforation added beauty and ornateness to the betel boxes and at the same time kept the leaves fresh for a longer period. Much earlier, the betel boxes were made of khas grass or even terracotta which was kept wet by sprinkling water so that the leaves remained fresh.
All pervading, one can find a paan shop in the markets, outside the theatres, bus stops, everywhere. Every paan seller has his special recipes. There are lots of varieties of paan but most famous are Banarasi, Calcutta, Meetha (sweet) and Sada (plain). You can even get a gold paan, silver paan, chocolate paan and shaadi special paan! The cheapest costs Rs. 10/- and the costliest is the marriage special one at Rs. 1500/- to 5000/- !!
Such a unique article Paan is bestowed with countless properties; it is an antiseptic that freshens the breath and is also an ayurvedic aphrodisiac medicine. It cures headaches, joint pain and arthritis as well as toothaches. In some places it serves the purpose of an antibiotic and a digestive medicine. It cures constipation, congestion and helps in lactation. It even helps in ridding the body of worms. Unani stream of medicine claims that paan is a sweet smelling stimulant that prevents flatulency. It stops bleeding. Applying heated paan as foment, especially in the case of children cures stomach troubles. Drinking betel leaves boiled with black pepper can cure indigestion. An application of ground paan leaves on the temples, or few drops of its juice on the nostrils, gives relief from headaches. In cases of acute constipation a well-greased stalk can be inserted in the rectum can give instant relief to children. Paan leaves placed on an open wound works wonders within a day or two. Greased with oils and placed on the breasts of nursing mothers, paan promotes lactation. Eating paan is good for colds and coughs, in acute cases heat the leaf and rub it with oil on the chest. Coriander and mint kept tucked in paan retain their freshness. It may be taken as a concoction of tea for good health. This eliminates body odour emanating from sweat and menstruation. Gums and teeth are kept healthy by chewing it. Betel leaves relieve nerve disorders, exhaustion and pain and in many cases a concoction with diluted sweetened milk eases urination. Mixed with honey it is a good tonic. It helps in respiratory trouble that affects the lungs of young and old. Sore throat, inflammation is cured with the local application of paan paste. Boils can be treated with paan.
However, the iconic paan no more appeals to farmers, traders and common people. They say the catching spread of chewing tobacco, particularly gutka, is fast taking over the paan market. Farmers have more reasons to move away from the crop once referred to as green gold. Escalating input costs, water shortage and erratic weather mean betel gardens are no more lucrative.
Gutka is a preparation of betel nuts (supari) and tobacco designed to be chewed. It originated in the Indian Subcontinent, where gutka consumption is rampant and prevalent today. Like other tobacco products, gutka is potentially addictive and cancerous. In addition to betel nuts and tobacco, gutka also includes an extract of acacia called catechu, and slaked lime, which is designed to catalyze a chemical reaction when gutka is chewed, releasing alkaloids in the blend to make it more powerful. Gutka is also usually blended with spices and seasonings, which can make it sour, hot or sweet. Sometimes traditional Ayurvedic herbs are used to give gutka an illusion of respectability, and sweet flavourings are often designed to appeal specifically to children.
Characteristically, gutka comes in the form of a loose powder which is put in the mouth, chewed, and eventually spat out. Like other betel nut chews, gutka is highly staining, leaving a characteristic reddish to orange stain on the lips, tongue, and teeth, and it also stains the streets and sidewalks when people spit it out. Gutka is also extremely addictive, and thanks to the tobacco content, it can contribute to the development of oral and throat cancers. Many users are unaware of how addictive gutka can be, and they are greatly surprised when they attempt to give up the habit. Gutka is also a mild stimulant, making it appealing to students, shift workers, and other people who may have trouble staying awake sometimes.
The portability of the sachets add to their appeal, as did the concept of low cost of small purchases.
On the other hand, the betel vines (usually the male plants) are cultivated throughout India except the dry north-western parts. It grows best under the shaded, tropical forest ecological conditions with a rainfall of about 2250-4750 mm, relative humidity and temperature ranging from 40-80%and 15-40°C respectively. Paan cannot be harvested if temperature goes beyond 40°C, the betel leaves turn yellow and drop prematurely.
A well-drained fertile sandy or sandy loam or sandy clay soil with pH range of 5.6 -8.2 is considered suitable for its cultivation. However, in the areas with lower rainfall (1500- 1700 mm) the crop is cultivated with small and frequent irrigations, i.e. every day in summer and every 3-4 days in winter, whereas adequate drainage is required during the rainy season. The crop requires special care for its cultivation like sterilization of soil.
However, its trade has come down to 40-50 per cent in the past 2-3 decades, while use of chewing tobacco, especially gutka, increased during the period.
Latest increase in the cost of labour and farm inputs has added to betel farmers' woes. For example, to put up a betel greenhouse, a farmer needs piles of bamboo sticks. Earlier, some state governments used to provide bamboo to the farmers at subsidised rates. But the practice has stopped in most states. Farmers say buying bamboo from the market costs them three-four times the subsidised price. Besides, they are not always available in the market. Other raw materials like cane and jute sticks have also become sparse and hence costly.
It is disheartening to note that most of the farmers have shifted to other professions such as setting up tea shops and 'samosa' shops, and selling mouth fresheners, paan masalas and gutkas.
The Government must intervene and save this precious cultivation practice which is also a pride of our cultural heritage and legacy lest we would lose one more traditional delicacy which has been praised by the poets since time immemorial.
Let the romance of 'Paan' stay alive!
As the world's most Romantic Leaf is Heart-Shaped!! |
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