Desawari paan: Of fragrance, flavour & forgotten farmers

In the heart of the Bundelkhand region, the unique flavour and fragrance of the Desawari variety of paan, or betel leaves, once filled the air.

- ARCHIS MOHAN

Today, however, this scent is fading, which many locals say is symptomatic of extreme weather events, and environmental degradation caused by unchecked illegal mining and deforestation.

Ramsewak Chaurasia, a retired agriculture scientist from the National Botanical Research Institute in Lucknow, has dedicated his life to increase productivity of Desawari and protect it from diseases. His efforts bore fruit in 2022 when the Mahoba Desawari paan received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

"I was born in a family that cultivated Desawari," Ramsewak says, his voice filled with a mix of pride and concern. "When it received a GI tag, I felt I had repaid my debt to my ancestors. Now I fear that I, and the 22 other families that still cultivate it, could be the last to do so." His farm is located outside Mahoba town, which is 160 km from Jhansi.

The Desawari cannot withstand waterlogging, making the undulating slopes of Mahoba ideal for its cultivation.

For nearly a thousand years, it has been grown here, its leaves used not just for their flavour but also in religious rites. A batch of Desawari was despatched from Mahoba to Ayodhya for the consecration of the Ram temple in January.