These are sundried spit stains, the unwelcome residue left by users of the country’s favourite vice – paan. The brick-red splotches often appear randomly scattered, but here and there, you will find them pooled together resembling an accident scene – a sure sign that a paan wala – a skilled paan maker – is just around the corner.
Paan comes from the Sanskrit word parna, which means leaf, but these days the word is synonymous with the flavor-packed after-meal snack usually composed of choona (lime paste), katha (acacia paste), and supari (areca nut slices), and loaded up with spices or sweets, then wrapped in a betel leaf.
Chewed by almost a tenth of the world’s population, paan has been used across Asia for over 5,000 years. From India to the Middle East, Indonesia to Thailand, the popular street dish is commonly had after meals as a breath freshener, a palette cleanser, a digestive aid, or simply as a dessert snack. It is also taken in weight control diets for its hunger-curbing and metabolism increasing properties.
Paan is no doubt an integral part of India’s social and cultural practice and identity. In Assam, it is offered to guests after a meal as a customary sign of respect. Similarly, in Mysore, two betel leaves are offered to visitors on special occasions to symbolise good fortune and auspicious beginnings. In the north, paan leaves embellish kalash, a metallic or clay pot present during festive rituals like Durga Pooja and Diwali, which would otherwise be incomplete without the heart-shaped leaves.
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