पान के पत्ते - Betel Leaves

Belel Leaves - Paan, Tambul

Betel leaves are known as "Paan" or "Tambul" in India. It is in use in India and South Asia from time unknown. It is used as a mouth freshener after a meal. In Hindu worship, it is also used as an offering to gods when all Naivedya is already offered. This Paan offering is in the shape of a roll which is called a "Beeda". But in this "Beeda" lime (Choona) is not applied. It consists of Supari (Areca nut), cloves, small cardamom, camphor (कपूर) and pieces of coconut flesh. There are different Shlokas for the offering of Paan, one of them is as below:-

ताम्बूलं   च   वरं   रम्यं   कर्पूरादिसुवासितम྄| 

सर्वभोगाधिकं स्वादु सलिलं देव (देवी) गृह्यताम྄|| 

(Tambulam ch Varam Ramyam Karpuradisuwasitam. Sarvbhogadhikam Swadu Salilam dev Grihyatam.) 

        Pann leaves are treated as auspicious. When Naivedyam is offered, it is put in a plate or Thali. But when for different Naivedyam there are not many plates, then these are offered to gods on betel leaves. Laddoos, fruits and Kheer are put on different Paan leaves and offered as Naivedyam to gods. 

          Sometimes like in "Satyanarayan Puja", many other gods are also invoked. To give them seats the Paan leaves are used. First, some Akshat is put on the cleaned surface and over it, Paan leaves are put. Then taking Akkshat, flower and Jal in the hand the concerning god is prayed and called as "Ehagachchha, Ehatishtha" and the things in hand are put on the Paan leaves. "Ehagachchha, Ehatishtha" (इहागच्छ, एहातिष्ठ) are Sanskrit words which means 'Come here and take your seat' (आप यहाँ आएं, यहाँ बैठें).

 

Ready for Kapoor Aarti

        When Arti is shown to gods, generally the Deepak (lamp) or Camphor (कर्पूर, कपूर) is placed over a Paan leaf over some Akshat on a plate.

        Since it is considered auspicious it is used in all auspicious Sanskaras like Wedding and Janeu (Upanayana, Putting the holy thread on the body). Paan has its use in many rituals of the wedding. For example, if some fruits are to be given in the hands of the bride or groom, first a Paan leaf is put on the palms and then over it, fruits are placed. Another interesting ritual in a wedding in Mithila (Bihar) is named as Galsedi. It is a welcome ritual for the bridegroom when the Barat (Marriage Procession - बारात) comes to the bride's home.  Before the groom gets down from the vehicle, a group of married women goes to him with a Deepak on a Thali containing colored Akshat spread on it. They take a Paan leaf warm it over the Deepak and touch the cheeks of the groom with it. It is called Galsedi. 

A Beeda of Paan. Gillori, Khilli

          Paan is a part of Hindu culture. It is a ritual to have a "Beeda" of Paan at a place of pilgrimage when the worship is over.  

          Perhaps in India, Paan is the fondest of people of Mithila (Bihar). It is a part of daily life there. People take it many time a day. Some people carry a box of Paan with them which is called "Panbatta"(पनबट्टा). Either they will keep Beedas of Paan in it or Paan leaves wrapped in a water soaked thin cotton cloth. The Paan eaters enjoy making Beedas of the Paan by taking leaves of Paan out of "Panbatta". If you ask a Maithil (A person of Mithila in Bihar) "Why do you eat Paan?" Then it is sure you will get an answer, "Paan and Makhaan are not available even in the Heaven." Makhaan is the foxnut (Euryale ferox) which is mostly cultivated in the ponds of Mithila.

A Panbatta - A box for Betel Leaves

          Paan of Benaras is famous. It has also been included into Bollywood songs. Remember the famous song of movie "Don" in which Amitabh Bachchan sings-'Khai Ke Paan Banaraswala, Khul Jaaye Band Akal Ka Tala'. Wazid Ali Shah is well known for his love of Paan. From that tradition, Paan in Lucknow includes many aromatic things in it. There is a range of Paan available there - ranging from a few rupees to thousands of rupees. A roll of Paan is also called Gillori here.
      Customs apart it is said to have medicinal properties in Ayurveda. It clears throat in a cough when chewed. Such Paan is taken with cloves, mint and 'Gulukand' (Gulukand is a jelly-like thing made from red rose flower petals). It is said to have aphrodisiac properties. 
          The plant of Paan is a climber which does not bear a fruit. It is cultivated for its leaves only. It requires a lot of water. Warm and humid weather is good for it but it cannot bear the direct sunshine. So for its cultivation in the field, a hut type of structure is made from which sunshine enters partly. 
          It has many varieties. Bengal mainly produces two varieties of Paan - Bangla Patta and Meetha Patta (Patta means leaf). Bangla or Desi variety is the most popular and cheaper too. Meetha Patta has a distinct taste and costs more. In Bihar, a popular variety of Paan is produced which is named as "Magahi". It is smaller in size compared to other varieties and less green too. It dissolves easily in the mouth. It is also costlier. Paan is also produced in Odisha and a variety of it is named after a district in Odisha-Ganjam. And there is Banarasi Patta which is more yellowish.
         As far as Hindu worship is concerned it should be used as per requirement. But daily consumption of it should be avoided because it is taken by most of the people with tobacco (Zarda) which causes cancer. Another ingredient areca nut (Supari) is also said to cause cancer. Again the Paan spitting is very disgusting and its spots on the roads and on the walls are an eye-shore.

    

गुलाब के फूल -The Rose flower !

Lord Krishna's favorite flower

           The rose flower is loved by God Vishnu. In Hindu mythology, there is a story about the most beautiful flower. Once Brahma and Vishnu debated about the most beautiful flower. While Brahma favored the lotus flower, Vishnu named the rose. When they could not agree on one of them, Vishnu finally took Brahma to his celestial garden and showed him the shrub of rose laden with beautiful roses. Fascinated by this look Brahma accepted Vishnu's logic and both agreed that 'the rose is the most beautiful flower'. Even today the rose is regarded as the "King of flowers". Hindus offer this flower to Krishna who is an avatar of Vishnu. Krishna took the love close to devotion, so this flower is also regarded as a symbol of love. The rosebuds, fully bloomed flowers and rose petals, all could be offered to gods. Even a garland of roses is offered to Krishna.

Pink Rose

                 Roses are found in many colors, mainly white, yellow, red and pink colored. So devotees have choices to offer them according to colors the Gods like. The red colored flower is offered to Goddesses like Kali, Durga and Lakshmi. Since the popular god Hanuman likes red color, he too is worshiped with red roses. Yellow is liked by Vishnu, so Vishnu, Krishna and Ram are offered yellow roses during the worship. White roses are offered to Shiva and Saraswati.  

 

Roses (Buds and flowers)

               Since Gods are offered a number of things in worship and "Pushpa" (flowers) is only one of those things, one other important thing related to flowers is "Gandha" (Perfume). Perfume is extracted from many flowers, and the one extracted from roses is 'rosewater' (Gulab-Jala in Hindi). "Gandha" (Perfume) of rose is offered as 'rosewater' or as 'Attar' (इत्र, अत्तर) in cotton-ball. Its perfume is also used in incense sticks which are burned during worship and "Aarti" to give out the scent of roses. 

                Rose is an ornamental flower. Now we have techniques to grow different varieties and sizes of roses. It was loved by royal families in Rome, Persia and India in medieval times. Mughals were rose fans. They had rose gardens. Nur Jehan is said to have discovered the rose oil while taking a bath in a bath-tub full of rose petals. Even in modern India people love rose gardens and it can be found in botanical gardens and "Rajbhawans" of Indian states and who can forget the "Mughal Garden" of ''Rashtrapati-Bhawan", New Delhi.

Red and Yellow roses

 

                 Rose is known as "Gulaab" in Hindi and Urdu. But it is a bit surprising that it has not got its presence felt strongly in Hindu religious books as the lotus flower has got. Maybe that in ancient times roses found were not so attractive as we see today because we have many new varieties developed now. Hybrid varieties are bigger and attractive but they were not then. Known as "Japa, Jawa and Patal-Pushp" in Sanskrit, it has been mentioned by "Charak" and "Sushrut" (physician and surgeon in Indian medicinal system 'Ayurved' in ancient times) at many places as remedies for acidity, fever and boils. They considered its effect as cooling on the body and good for the stomach. Even today "Gulukand", a preparation of rose petals is eaten in betel leaf (Paan) to keep stomach cool. 

A rosebud opening up

                The perennial plant of rose is a shrub which grows from a meter to 6-7 meters depending upon the variety. It is planted by cutting. For good size of flowers, it has to be cut leaving thick stems one or two feet long only. It needs cow-dung manure and fertilizers too. One has to be careful while touching the plant as it is full of thorns. It grows well in flower beds but one can plant it in even flower pots.

Different products of roses are available at Amazon like rose oil, rose petal powder, rose water, essential oil etc.  

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