Not just a mouth freshener, it’s an emotion.

Lately, I developed a fondness to chew Paan. It is one of the popular traditional mouth freshner in India. Paan blends the peppery, astringent taste of the betel leaf with sweet ingredients like gulkand (rose petal preserve), fennel seeds, cardamom, and various fruit or chocolate fillings. I like to have it whenever I feel thirsty or had non veg food. Banaras paan are quite popular as they have something special that add sweatness to it. Even in India we have a bollywod song made upon Paan. Finding my flavor of paan in a new place is always a blessing in disguise.

I enever thought, I would get a taste of Banaras in other cities. But luckily I came across this banner right outside a mini shop in a crowded street. Seems the sputyern India were not fond of chewing Paan. As there were not much crowd. Or because of the price tag that makes paan a costelier items to have.

Rs.40bis way too much, as these are easily available for Rs.10. But seems the brand is getting popular in outside state which makes the price too high. I was not convinced that the paan is actually from Banaras. And the best way to enquire is to ask the person his whereabout. I straight way ask the shopkeeper his native place. And he confirms it as Mirzapur. A small city near to main Banaras. Now I am convinced and ready to taste the paan.

Tyere were paan already made and kept inside the glass display table. The shopkeeper wanted to hand me one of them. But I insisted to prepare a new one. Preparing a paan does not take much. There were ingredient that were just needed to put over the beetel leaves and then wrapped it and hand over to the customer. The shopkeeper seems to be quite trained. Soon on my request, he went on to prepare a new one. My cousin ask for a zarda paan while I asked for sweat paan.

Some people like to add a mild psychoactive compound that can enhance alertness and provide a sense of relaxation. It is different from a sweat one. Chewing paan stimulates saliva production and activates digestive enzymes, making it a popular post-meal remedy for heavy meals or bloating. I find the taste quite similar to the one found in my region. I packed few more for my relatives, where I was staying. And the shokeeper packed them in a paper box.

The paper box is new to me, as generally they wrapped the paan on some leaves. But packing in paper box is similar to packing sweat. Offering paan is a time-honored gesture of respect, welcome, and camaraderie extended to guests at homes, weddings, and festive gatherings. It was a good way to thanks my relatives for their hospitality.

In good faith - Peace!!