Banaras Pan (Betel Leaf) is an important traditional crop variety of

Betel leaf Betel (''Piper betle'') is a species of flowering plant in the pepper family Piperaceae, native to Southeast Asia. It is an evergreen, dioecious vine, with glossy heart-shaped leaves and white catkins. Betel plants are cultivated for their leav ...

(Piper betle) cultivated in the

Indian state India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, for a total of 36 subnational entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into 800 districts and smaller administrative divisions by the respe ...

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...

. It is mainly cultivated in the Varanasi, Jaunpur, Chandauli, Ballia, Ghazipur, Azamgarh, Mirzapur, and Sonbhadra districts of Uttar Pradesh. Under its

Geographical Indication A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town or region). The use of a geographical indication, as an indication of the product's source, is inten ...

tag, it is referred to as "'Banaras Pan (Betel Leaf)".

Name

It is named after its place of origin, the region of Banaras (also known as Varanasi), located in

Purvanchal Purvanchal () is the region of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Purvanchal is also a proposed state in India, encompassing 32 eastern districts of Uttar Pradesh. The proposal, introduced in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 2011 by then Chief ...

region of Uttar Pradesh. The word "Paan" originates from the

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

term "Parna," meaning leaf. With its roots in ancient India, Paan was consumed not only for its medicinal properties but also for its symbolic auspicious significance. Locally, the Banaras Pan is also known as "Desi Pan".

Description

The Banaras Pan leaf is a dioeciously perennial root climber that thrives in warm and humid climates. It has simple, alternate, ovate, cordate, acuminate or acute, entire, and bright green leaves. The Piper Betel vine, on the other hand, is a tropical shade-loving perennial evergreen vine that can grow up to 6-10 feet in Varanasi conditions. Its leaves are yellowish green to dark green with a glossy upper surface and have a characteristic and pleasant odour. Banaras Pan is renowned for its high-quality leaves, which are rich in tannins and have a distinctive taste ranging from sweet to pungent due to the presence of essential oils. The Pan growers in the region bundle 200 leaves together, known as a Dholi. Varanasi is a major center for the trade and commerce of Pan leaves, with the Pan Mandi (Pan-Dariba) being a key marketplace. The primary customers are those who prepare paan, mainly large-scale "Paanwari" from Varanasi and surrounding districts, including

Bhadohi Bhadohi is a city and municipal corporation in the Bhadohi district of northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. As the district headquarters of Bhadohi, it is home to the largest hand-knotted carpet-weaving industry hub in South Asia. The city ...

, Ghazipur, Jaunpur,

Prayagraj Prayagraj (, ; ISO 15919, ISO: ), formerly and colloquially known as Allahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi, Varanasi (Benar ...

, Chandauli, and Mirzapur. The Pan Dariba in Varanasi is an important hub for marketing Pan leaves from the surrounding regions. Betel leaf along with betel nut serve a multitude of purposes, encompassing culinary, medicinal, social, and spiritual uses.

Religious Significance

Indian culture Indian culture is the heritage of social norms and technologies that originated in or are associated with the ethno-linguistically diverse nation of India, pertaining to the Indian subcontinent until 1947 and the Republic of India post-1947. ...

, betel leaves and betel nuts hold significant importance in Puja rituals. These items are offered to deities at the commencement of every puja ceremony. According to Hindu mythology, the betel plant is considered extremely auspicious, believed to have originated from the divine elixir produced during the churning of the ocean (

Samudra Manthana The Samudra Manthana () is a major episode in Hinduism that is elaborated in the Vishnu Purana, a major text of Hinduism. The Samudra Manthana explains the origin of the elixir of eternal life, amrita. Nomenclature *Sāgara manthana (साग� ...

). In Hindu worship, betel leaves are placed in the Pooja

Kalasha A kalasha, also called Pūrṇa-Kalaśa, Pūrṇa-Kumbha, Pūrṇa-Ghaṭa, also called ghat or ghot or kumbh ( , Telugu: కలశము Kannada: ಕಳಶ literally "pitcher, pot"), is a metal (brass, copper, silver or gold) pot with a large ...

, a sacred vessel used for rituals. After the completion of worship, the water from the Kalasha is considered sacred and is consumed as " Charnamrit", a symbol of divine blessings. Furthermore, betel leaves play a vital role in Indian weddings, particularly during the '

Kanyadana Kanyadana () is a Hindu wedding ritual.Enslin, Elizabeth. "Imagined Sisters: The Ambiguities of Women’s Poetics and Collective Actions". Selves in Time and Place: Identities, Experience, and History in Nepal. Ed. Debra Skinner, Alfred Pach III ...

' ritual.

Paan (Betel Quid)

Also known famously as only "Paan" (

Betel Quid Betel nut chewing, also called betel quid chewing or areca nut chewing, is a practice in which areca nuts (also called "betel nuts") are chewed together with slaked lime and betel leaves for their stimulant and narcotic effects, the primar ...

) - is a traditional Indian after-dinner treat that consists of a betel leaf filled with various ingredients. The filling typically includes chopped

betel nut The areca nut ( or ) or betel nut () is the fruit of the areca palm ('' Areca catechu''). The palm is originally native to the Philippines, but was carried widely through the tropics by the Austronesian migrations and trade since at least 1 ...

slaked lime Calcium hydroxide (traditionally called slaked lime) is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Ca( OH)2. It is a colorless crystal or white powder and is produced when quicklime ( calcium oxide) is mixed with water. Annually, approxim ...

(chuna) and red katha paste made from the khair tree (Acacia catechu). Assorted other ingredients may also be added. Paan is served folded into a triangle or rolled and is chewed before being spat out or swallowed. With its origins dating back to ancient times, paan is a timeless tradition that originated in India. "Khayike Paan Banaras Wala" is a classic song featuring

Amitabh Bachchan Amitabh Bachchan (; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi cinema. He is often considered one of the greatest, most accomplished and commercially successful actors in the history of Indian cinema.* * * * * With a cinemati ...

from the 1978 film " Don". The song's lyrics indeed reference the famous Banaras Paan, highlighting its popularity and cultural significance.

Geographical indication

It was awarded the

(GI) status tag from the Geographical Indications Registry, under the

Union Government of India The Government of India (ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of 36 states and union territo ...

, on 31 March 2023. Department of Horticulture and Food Processing, Government of Uttar Pradesh and Namami Gange Farmer Producer Company Limited from

Varanasi Varanasi (, also Benares, Banaras ) or Kashi, is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.* * * * The city has a syncretic tradition of I ...

, proposed the GI registration of 'Banaras Pan (Betel Leaf)'. After filing the application in December 2020, the Betel leaf was granted the GI tag in 2023 by the Geographical Indication Registry in

Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...

, making the name "Banaras Pan (Betel Leaf)" exclusive to the Betel leaf cultivated in the region. It thus became the first Betel leaf variety from Uttar Pradesh and the 47th type of goods from Uttar Pradesh to earn the GI tag. The GI tag protects the Banaras Pan (Betel Leaf) from illegal selling and marketing, and gives it legal protection and a unique identity.

References