About the Famous Indian Paan!

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In India people consume ‘Paan’ after their meals traditionally. The ‘Paan’ is believed to have digestive properties and so it is customarily consumed by the people in this country. Though the trend of consumption f ‘Paan’ is reduced in modern youth but this tradition is still prevailing in most parts of the country and still remains popular activity. A typical ‘Paan’ is made out of beetle leaves. After applying lime and catechu to the beetle leaves some pieces of beetle nuts are wrapped in these leaves and this forms a traditional ‘‘Paan’’. This is mostly eaten in most of the homes all over the country. But with the changing times many other ingredients have been incorporated in the pan and we get various types of the ‘Paan’ made commercially in special hops which we locally call them as ‘Paan’ Ki Dukan or ‘Paan’ Tapri. Depending upon the ingredients added in the ‘Paan’ we have basically two varieties of the ‘‘Paan’’. In First Variety we have various ingredients except Tobacco. In second variety tobacco is added which is called as ‘Zarda’. In non tobacco ‘Paan’ we have simple variety which is called as ‘Sada’ ‘Paan’ which is prepared as explained above. And we have a ‘Meetha Masala’ ‘Paan’ where on the Battles leaves treated with lime and Catechu various ingredients are added, They are Beetle nut pieces, Clove, cardamom, dried coconut powder, Gulkand (A sweet recipe made out of rose petals) cherries and some special odor inducing agents and all these things are wrapped and is applied with thin sheet of silver/ silver foil. This type of ‘Paan’ is available in big ‘Paan’ shops. In ordinary shops they may not use the silver foils. In the ‘Paan’ with the tobacco in it, various types of Zardas are used as per the choice of the customers. Each Zarda is having a Code number and the customers use these numbers while ordering the ‘Paan’. Some people like to use more than one Zarda in their ‘Paan’. Depending upon the origin of the beetle leaves and type of the beetle leaves, they have various names. We have Bengal beetle leaves, Kapoori beetle leaves and Banarasi Beetle leaves in India which are most popular and they are being used in preparing the ‘Paan’ as per the choice of the consumer. In India we have thousands of ‘Paan’ shops in big cities and Towns and in villages also we find these shops in abundant number. These shop keepers keep Cigarettes and other tobacco products to cater their clients. Since consumption of ‘Paan’ is a traditional thing in India, these shops instead of closing down they are getting evolved in a modern way and are doing roaring business.Have you ever tasted a 'Paan'? One must visit a ‘Paan’ shop and have a ‘Paan’ to appreciate the taste of it! Please respond! Your responses will be highly appreciated! Thanks!