What makes ‘Paan’ a favourite of Indian food culture?

Chewing betel leaves is an old tradition that is even mentioned in Ramayana. In the Ayodhya Kand Lord Rama has been portrayed spending leisure time chewing betel leaves to control hunger.

Whether it's North or South, these green leaves are an inseparable part of auspicious occasions. In Mysore, betel leaves are offered as a gift on special occasions, as a sign of good fortune. In Assam, it is offered right after the meal, as a sign of respect to the visiting guests. From the medical science perspective, this act is considered good for the digestive system, as the leaves help digest food easily. In North, festivals like Durga Puja and Diwali, are incomplete without betel leaves, that are used to embellish Kalash (metallic or earthen pot) while performing various religious rites. It is believed that adding leaves to water purifies it.

Goddess Sita, gave a garland of betel leaves to Hanuman when he reached Lanka. It was given as a sign of love, delight and appreciation to him by Sita. In North India, wedding rituals involve a combination of betel leaf and areca nuts, which symbolizes strong bond and loyalty in a relationship.

Ayurveda considers betel as a powerful means of controlling various health issues. It is known for curing diseases caused by air and bile. Health experts believe that betel leaf juice was earlier prescribed as a remedy for infected ears. It is also used as an antiseptic, digestive aid, and mouth freshener. In early days, it was also used to make lips lovely by women, as it gives natural red colour.

According to IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) and WHO (World Health Organisation), regular consumption of paan with areca nuts and tobacco can lead to oral cancer. Paan alone is harmless and rather healthy.

While we all know about the very famous Banarasi Paan, there are many more varieties available that are equally tasty. The list includes Sada Paan, Meetha Paan, Silver Paan, Fire Paan, Maghai Paan, Rasmalai Paan, Chocolate Paan etc.

Traditionally, paan was never a fancy food item that people celebrated. Thanks to social media world and people who have explored few faces of paan, today, it is considered as one exotic food item that is sold in the well-decorated studio and at weddings, you can find an elaborate counter with experts displaying various styles of paan.

With time paan has changed its face, but the medicinal and cultural values associated with it are still strong and will never fade out.