Paan dan
A paan dan (
Etymology
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History
Paan dan is silverware that was very popular during the 19th century.
A paan dan was commonly carried in previous eras. The dancing girls of the court of Nawabs in Lucknow carried a paan dan of pure silver, coated with fine Mughlai work of Lucknow.[6] Historically, Betel leaf and its seeds were usually consumed by field workers and other rural inhabitants. People chewed it to suppress their hunger as it has mild painkilling effects similar to a narcotic.
Size
The size of a paan dan varies, but can be approximately 3.93 inches high, 10.43 inches wide, and 7 inches long. It usually weighs around 2 pounds.
Production
Every design is handcrafted by an artist and each paan dan has its own characteristics, individuality and uniqueness.[7] A paan dan may be custom made to satisfy a customer's taste and usually reflects the customer's personality. Most silverware crafted by local craftspeople have a mark or two on the bottom as a hallmark or signature of the artisan. A paan dan is usually crafted out of silver and covered with an oil to prevent the silver from tarnishing.
Modern use
Today, people still use paan dan to store their betel leaves and seeds.[7] However, over time the majority of people have quit chewing betel leaf, so artisans are having a tougher time economically. Even the custom of handing out paan dan during a wedding ceremony has decreased. Local craftspeople are finding that youngsters are not interested in learning to craft paan dan since it doesn't pay much as chewing paan is only popular during Ramadan.
Aside from consuming bland betel leaves, people consume paan where they wrap the seeds with betel leaf flavored with lime paste.[8] Paan has many benefits as it is used for painkilling effects and is also used as a laxative and promotes digestion.
References
- ^ "Vintage Oval Brass Paan Dan, Beetle Nut Box, Handcrafted Box With 6 Compartments, Home Decor, Condiments Box, L19 cm x W 13 cm x H 9 cm". Etsy. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
- PMID 19445556.
- ^ "Paan | Definition of Paan by Lexico". Lexico Dictionaries | English. Archived from the original on July 15, 2019. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
- ^ ATKINSON, John Christopher (1868). A Glossary of the Cleveland Dialect: explanatory, derivative, and critical. J. R. Smith. p. 371.
paan dan.
- ^ "Pan dan (casket for betel) (Pan dan (casket for pan)) | V&A Search the Collections". V and A Collections. 2019-10-31. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
- ^ "Paan Dan". indiamart.com. Archived from the original on 2019-10-31. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
- ^ a b Khan, AuthorAsif Yar. "Hyderabad: Changing traditions make lives of paandaan makers tough". Telangana Today. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
- ISBN 9789325982383.