Introduction
When you hear the word Pan (Betel leaf ), the foremost thing that comes to your head is Banarasi pan or the song Khaike pan Banaras Wala. The culture of chewing pan leaf is not limited to Banaras other regions also known for speciality of pans one of them is the small district of Mahoba. Mahoba got the Geographical Indication GI tag in 2020 for a special variety of pan leaf called Dasawari Pan leaf. Pan is the green heart shaped leaf of betal vine. These have the socio-culture and economic significance from a very old time. Betel vine is an Important Commercial Crop of India, providing livelihood to hundreds of thousands of families engaged in its cultivation and trade. Nowhere in the world is betel leaf, so greatly valued as in the Indian subcontinent.
Historical and Cultural Significance of Pan leaf
Anthropological Studies shows the evidences of Betel leaves found date back to thousands of years across the different countries in the world. In Indian tradition the practice of Betal leaf chewing has been found in the many prehistoric texts of the Indian mythologies. Description of pan or Tambul is mentioned in so many ancient texts as Vatasayan’s Kamsutra 3rd CE, Kalidasa’s Raguvansa 5thc CE, Kalhan’ s Rajatarangi 11th CE and Sushruta Samhita 7th CE.
In these ancient indian texts Betel leaves were referred to as Tambulika, Tambuladhikara and Tambuladayini, so on. Ayurvedic encyclopedias as Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita have also indicated the several uses of pan leaves. In a chapters of Sushruta Samhita Betel leaves are mentioned as “aromatic, sharp, hot, acrid and beneficial for voice, laxative, appetizer, beside this they pacify vata and aggravate pitta.” The practice of chewing pan after every meals became common between 75 c. AD and 300 c. AD. In the 13th Century European traveler Marco Polo recorded betel chewing common among kings and elite nobles in India.
Mahoba Desawari Pan: Historical Background
Mahoba Desawari pan is grown in Mahoba District of Uttar Pradesh and parts of adjacent Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. Since centuries Mahoba Pan has been cultivated by the very active and progressive ‘Tamboli’ community of old Chandel Empire. Nowadays this Tamboli society is known as the Chaurasia community. Betel leaf cultivation is a very old tradition of the Mahoba area. According to a status report of MSME, betel cultivation in Mahoba began in the 9th century during the era of Chandel kings of Mahoba. Chandella King Chandra-Verman who shifted his capital to Mahoba. During the Mugal period high revenue was genrated from Mahoba in comparison to the other neighbors ‘Mahals’. According to Ain i Akbari by Abul Fazal, Mahoba was a major Pan producing center during the Moghul era. According to ‘Aine-Akbari, it had an area of 82000 Bighas yielded a revenue of over 40,42000 Dams in addition to 12000 Pans to the Moghal Darbar. Minimum and maximum size of different garden fields of Mahoba Pan was varied between Five Biwas to Two Beeghas.
Uniqueness of Desawari Pan of Mahoba
The leaf size of Mahoba Desawari Pan is larger than most of the other Betel leaves. The leaves of Mahoba Desawari Pan have a special aroma which is different from other Betel leaves. Mahoba Desawari Pan has very few fibers in its leaf. So its leaf is completely chewable and swallowable. The color of Mahoba Desawari Pan is much brighter than other varieties. Its shine is very unique among all the betel leaf varieties.
Production Method: Pan Bareja
Betel crop is very much susceptible towards extreme climatic conditions and fluctuation. So its cultivation is done in a special conservatory that is called a “Bareja”. A traditional Bareja is made up of locally available materials such as bamboo, different stalks etc. Its height is about 6-7 feet. The top roof is covered with thick straw with longitudinally divided bamboo poles or strong wires. The walls and the top are covered with bamboo sticks, straws, stalks, leaves, even old clothes in order to protect the plants and soil surface from direct sun rays. A strong structure is built, so as to withstand strong winds and storms.
Newly planted betel vine plant needs to be watered twice a day with the help of a watering cane or sprinkler. The newly planted bareja is maintained very carefully. Over irrigation is avoided. During the summer season, the new plant is irrigated almost every day and the old plants are watered weekly. During the winter season, irrigation is reduced to once in a fortnight. During the rainy season, ordinarily no irrigation is required, unless there are adverse weather conditions. Harvesting of leaves commences after 75 to 90 days of planting and upon their maturity. They can be harvested throughout the year.
Current Condition
Five centuries back betel leaf production had 3oo acre area. After the Chandel period Mahoba Pan leaf got recognition in the national and international market. But now it has been limited to 25 acres only therefor the production of betel leaf is more sensitive than other crops. The betel farmer has to spend a lot of money in making Bareja which is temporary. It gets destroyed in natural disasters like storms, hurricanes, heavy rain, hailstorms. The betel leaf crop also gets destroyed. Due to this, the farmers are not even able to recover their costs.
The change is the cultural practice of chewing pan leaf, only old generation people are used to it. The new generation have many synthetic options of mouth freshener which lower their interest in this. With the grace of our cultural practices this tradition is alive as in Bundelkhand there is tradition of wishing Dashera festival by offering pan leaf to each other. Pan leaf is also used in religious customs regularly offered in prayers which maintain the demand of pan leaf in the local market on a regular basis. Pan Leaf is often referred to as green gold but now the significance is being lost so it’s time to remember our cultural practices. Government also need to provide more support to cultivators by insurance securities.
References
- Geographical Indication Journal, 16 Dec 2020.https://www.upkrishivipran.in
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