• Latest
  • Trending

Sri Lankan Bulath and Bangladeshi Sanchi are hot favorites among betel chewers of Karachi

December 5, 2016
Electricity

Power cut schedule for June 25 in Sri Lanka

June 25, 2022
IMF team assures Lanka help in line with IMF’s policies

IMF team assures Lanka help in line with IMF’s policies

June 25, 2022
LKR 3 billion (US$ 8.3 million) worth of aid from Tamil Nadu arrives in Colombo

LKR 3 billion (US$ 8.3 million) worth of aid from Tamil Nadu arrives in Colombo

June 24, 2022
This April 2022 handout photograph provided by RR Auction shows cockroaches which were fed moon dust from the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, which were pulled from an auction listing after NASA said the cockroaches and a small vial of moon dust are property of the federal government. (Photo: AP)

Give us back our moon dust and cockroaches: Nasa

June 24, 2022
Water cut. Image credits - Walter Randlehoff / Unsplash

10-hour water cut in areas of Colombo tomorrow

June 24, 2022
Protesters marching towards Police HQ

Sri Lanka’s sorry plight – who is to blame?

June 24, 2022
Cisco, Nike quit Russia, as pace of Western firms leaving speeds up

Cisco, Nike quit Russia, as pace of Western firms leaving speeds up

June 24, 2022
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ celebrates 25 magical years

June 23, 2022
Cristiano Ronaldo

Binance scores Cristiano Ronaldo as partner for NFT push

June 23, 2022
New Zealand pledges over LKR 180 Mn to help crisis-hit Sri Lankan children

New Zealand pledges over LKR 180 Mn to help crisis-hit Sri Lankan children

June 23, 2022
Exchange Rate

Foreign Exchange Rates from Central Bank of Sri Lanka; USD, GBP, EUR, SGD, CAD

June 23, 2022
Indian and Lankan officials discuss promotion of Indo-Lankan investment partnership

Indian and Lankan officials discuss promotion of Indo-Lankan investment partnership

June 23, 2022
  • About Us
  • Advertisements
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
Saturday, June 25, 2022
No Result
View All Result
NewsIn.Asia
  • Home
  • Around South Asia
    • All
    • Afghanistan
    • Bangladesh
    • Bhutan
    • China
    • India
    • Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Pakistan
    • Sri Lanka
    Electricity

    Power cut schedule for June 25 in Sri Lanka

    IMF team assures Lanka help in line with IMF’s policies

    IMF team assures Lanka help in line with IMF’s policies

    LKR 3 billion (US$ 8.3 million) worth of aid from Tamil Nadu arrives in Colombo

    LKR 3 billion (US$ 8.3 million) worth of aid from Tamil Nadu arrives in Colombo

    Water cut. Image credits - Walter Randlehoff / Unsplash

    10-hour water cut in areas of Colombo tomorrow

    Protesters marching towards Police HQ

    Sri Lanka’s sorry plight – who is to blame?

    Cisco, Nike quit Russia, as pace of Western firms leaving speeds up

    Cisco, Nike quit Russia, as pace of Western firms leaving speeds up

    New Zealand pledges over LKR 180 Mn to help crisis-hit Sri Lankan children

    New Zealand pledges over LKR 180 Mn to help crisis-hit Sri Lankan children

    Exchange Rate

    Foreign Exchange Rates from Central Bank of Sri Lanka; USD, GBP, EUR, SGD, CAD

    Indian and Lankan officials discuss promotion of Indo-Lankan investment partnership

    Indian and Lankan officials discuss promotion of Indo-Lankan investment partnership

  • World
    • All
    • Japan
    • Russia
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
    This April 2022 handout photograph provided by RR Auction shows cockroaches which were fed moon dust from the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, which were pulled from an auction listing after NASA said the cockroaches and a small vial of moon dust are property of the federal government. (Photo: AP)

    Give us back our moon dust and cockroaches: Nasa

    Cisco, Nike quit Russia, as pace of Western firms leaving speeds up

    Cisco, Nike quit Russia, as pace of Western firms leaving speeds up

    Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

    ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ celebrates 25 magical years

    Cristiano Ronaldo

    Binance scores Cristiano Ronaldo as partner for NFT push

    New Zealand pledges over LKR 180 Mn to help crisis-hit Sri Lankan children

    New Zealand pledges over LKR 180 Mn to help crisis-hit Sri Lankan children

    People carry injured to a helicopter following a massive earthquake, in Paktika Province, Afghanistan. (Photo: Reuters)

    Taliban seek help after deadly earthquake kills 1,000 in Afghanistan

    Russia-Ukraine crisis: Ukraine government and human rights groups reported that Russian forces may have used thermobaric weapons. (AP)

    Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

    Rail workers. Photo - AFP

    Britain faces biggest rail strike in more than 30 years

    Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov (Photo: Reuters)

    Russian journalist sells Nobel Prize at record $103.5 million to help Ukrainian kids

  • Business
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Books
    • Gaming
    • Movie
    • Music
    • Series
    Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

    ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ celebrates 25 magical years

    Salman Khan

    Plot to kill Bollywood actor Salman Khan revealed

    Shah Rukh Khan's Jawaan, to be directed by Atlee, to scheduled for June 2023 release. (Photo: Twitter)

    Shah Rukh Khan announces new film ‘Jawaan’

    Chchutir diner Gaan by Bangladeshi singer Nondita

    Chchutir diner Gaan by Bangladeshi singer Nondita

    Song “Bechain Nazar Betaab Jigar”. Talat Mahmood. Film “Yasmin” 1955

    Song “Bechain Nazar Betaab Jigar”. Talat Mahmood. Film “Yasmin” 1955

    ‘KGF Chapter 2’

    ‘KGF Chapter 2’ becomes 3rd-highest-grossing Hindi film

    Popular Bollywood stars Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt were married Thursday in a private ceremony at their Mumbai residence. Image credits - Sujit Jaswal via AFP / Getty Images

    Bollywood stars Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt marry in Mumbai

    Lata Mangeshkar: Ae Chand Pyara. Film Khazaana 1951. Music C.Ramchandra. Lyrics Rajinder Krishan

    Lata Mangeshkar: Ae Chand Pyara. Film Khazaana 1951. Music C.Ramchandra. Lyrics Rajinder Krishan

    Will Smith

    Will Smith banned from Oscars for 10 years over slap

  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Health
    • Science
    • Travel
    This April 2022 handout photograph provided by RR Auction shows cockroaches which were fed moon dust from the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, which were pulled from an auction listing after NASA said the cockroaches and a small vial of moon dust are property of the federal government. (Photo: AP)

    Give us back our moon dust and cockroaches: Nasa

    Moon. Image credits - Ganapathy Kumar / Unsplash

    China finds signs of water in moon’s ‘Ocean of Storms’

    What we should know when we speak of food security?

    What we should know when we speak of food security?

    Beetroot is rich in nitrates and is loaded with health benefits. (Photo: Getty Images)

    Drinking beetroot juice daily could help people with heart condition

    Close-up view of a cancer cell. Credit: Alexey Kotelnikov / Alamy Stock Photo

    Massive breakthrough as cancer vanishes for all patients in drug trial

    India hands over 3.3 tons of medical supplies to Lanka’s ambulance service

    India hands over 3.3 tons of medical supplies to Lanka’s ambulance service

    Lankan Prez orders LKR 1.8 billion (US$ 5 million) to be spent on drugs import  

    Lankan Prez orders LKR 1.8 billion (US$ 5 million) to be spent on drugs import  

    In this 1971 Center For Disease Control handout photo, monkeypox-like lesions are shown on the arm and leg of a female child in Bondua, Liberia. CDC | Getty Images

    The Covid conspiracies being recycled for monkeypox

    Exercise. Image credits - Victor Freitas @victorfreitas / Unsplash

    Best exercise time differs for men and women, says US study

    High life in troubled Colombo  

    High life in troubled Colombo  

    Trending Tags

    • Golden Globes
    • Mr. Robot
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Climate Change
    • Flat Earth
  • Tech
    Bitcoin. Image credits - Onov3056

    Bitcoin slides below $20,000 to lowest level in 18 months

    Digital banking platform Revolut launches in Sri Lanka

    Digital banking platform Revolut launches in Sri Lanka

    Microsoft's Internet Explorer was first included with a Windows 95 upgrade pack. Image credits - Ina Fried/CNET

    End of an era: Microsoft retires Internet Explorer

    Cryptocurrency boom. Image credits - Executium @executium / Unsplash

    Cryptocurrency market value slumps under $1 trillion

    iPhone. Image credits - Tron Le @tronle_sg / Unsplash

    EU deal to force iPhones to use USB-C charger by 2024

    Whatsapp. Image credits - AARN GIRI / Unsplash

    WhatsApp to get edit button, undo messages and other features soon 

    Trending Tags

    • Sillicon Valley
    • Climate Change
    • Election Results
    • Flat Earth
    • Golden Globes
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Mr. Robot
  • Coronavirus
  • Videos
  • Home
  • Around South Asia
    • All
    • Afghanistan
    • Bangladesh
    • Bhutan
    • China
    • India
    • Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Pakistan
    • Sri Lanka
    Electricity

    Power cut schedule for June 25 in Sri Lanka

    IMF team assures Lanka help in line with IMF’s policies

    IMF team assures Lanka help in line with IMF’s policies

    LKR 3 billion (US$ 8.3 million) worth of aid from Tamil Nadu arrives in Colombo

    LKR 3 billion (US$ 8.3 million) worth of aid from Tamil Nadu arrives in Colombo

    Water cut. Image credits - Walter Randlehoff / Unsplash

    10-hour water cut in areas of Colombo tomorrow

    Protesters marching towards Police HQ

    Sri Lanka’s sorry plight – who is to blame?

    Cisco, Nike quit Russia, as pace of Western firms leaving speeds up

    Cisco, Nike quit Russia, as pace of Western firms leaving speeds up

    New Zealand pledges over LKR 180 Mn to help crisis-hit Sri Lankan children

    New Zealand pledges over LKR 180 Mn to help crisis-hit Sri Lankan children

    Exchange Rate

    Foreign Exchange Rates from Central Bank of Sri Lanka; USD, GBP, EUR, SGD, CAD

    Indian and Lankan officials discuss promotion of Indo-Lankan investment partnership

    Indian and Lankan officials discuss promotion of Indo-Lankan investment partnership

  • World
    • All
    • Japan
    • Russia
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
    This April 2022 handout photograph provided by RR Auction shows cockroaches which were fed moon dust from the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, which were pulled from an auction listing after NASA said the cockroaches and a small vial of moon dust are property of the federal government. (Photo: AP)

    Give us back our moon dust and cockroaches: Nasa

    Cisco, Nike quit Russia, as pace of Western firms leaving speeds up

    Cisco, Nike quit Russia, as pace of Western firms leaving speeds up

    Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

    ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ celebrates 25 magical years

    Cristiano Ronaldo

    Binance scores Cristiano Ronaldo as partner for NFT push

    New Zealand pledges over LKR 180 Mn to help crisis-hit Sri Lankan children

    New Zealand pledges over LKR 180 Mn to help crisis-hit Sri Lankan children

    People carry injured to a helicopter following a massive earthquake, in Paktika Province, Afghanistan. (Photo: Reuters)

    Taliban seek help after deadly earthquake kills 1,000 in Afghanistan

    Russia-Ukraine crisis: Ukraine government and human rights groups reported that Russian forces may have used thermobaric weapons. (AP)

    Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

    Rail workers. Photo - AFP

    Britain faces biggest rail strike in more than 30 years

    Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov (Photo: Reuters)

    Russian journalist sells Nobel Prize at record $103.5 million to help Ukrainian kids

  • Business
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Books
    • Gaming
    • Movie
    • Music
    • Series
    Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

    ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ celebrates 25 magical years

    Salman Khan

    Plot to kill Bollywood actor Salman Khan revealed

    Shah Rukh Khan's Jawaan, to be directed by Atlee, to scheduled for June 2023 release. (Photo: Twitter)

    Shah Rukh Khan announces new film ‘Jawaan’

    Chchutir diner Gaan by Bangladeshi singer Nondita

    Chchutir diner Gaan by Bangladeshi singer Nondita

    Song “Bechain Nazar Betaab Jigar”. Talat Mahmood. Film “Yasmin” 1955

    Song “Bechain Nazar Betaab Jigar”. Talat Mahmood. Film “Yasmin” 1955

    ‘KGF Chapter 2’

    ‘KGF Chapter 2’ becomes 3rd-highest-grossing Hindi film

    Popular Bollywood stars Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt were married Thursday in a private ceremony at their Mumbai residence. Image credits - Sujit Jaswal via AFP / Getty Images

    Bollywood stars Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt marry in Mumbai

    Lata Mangeshkar: Ae Chand Pyara. Film Khazaana 1951. Music C.Ramchandra. Lyrics Rajinder Krishan

    Lata Mangeshkar: Ae Chand Pyara. Film Khazaana 1951. Music C.Ramchandra. Lyrics Rajinder Krishan

    Will Smith

    Will Smith banned from Oscars for 10 years over slap

  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Health
    • Science
    • Travel
    This April 2022 handout photograph provided by RR Auction shows cockroaches which were fed moon dust from the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, which were pulled from an auction listing after NASA said the cockroaches and a small vial of moon dust are property of the federal government. (Photo: AP)

    Give us back our moon dust and cockroaches: Nasa

    Moon. Image credits - Ganapathy Kumar / Unsplash

    China finds signs of water in moon’s ‘Ocean of Storms’

    What we should know when we speak of food security?

    What we should know when we speak of food security?

    Beetroot is rich in nitrates and is loaded with health benefits. (Photo: Getty Images)

    Drinking beetroot juice daily could help people with heart condition

    Close-up view of a cancer cell. Credit: Alexey Kotelnikov / Alamy Stock Photo

    Massive breakthrough as cancer vanishes for all patients in drug trial

    India hands over 3.3 tons of medical supplies to Lanka’s ambulance service

    India hands over 3.3 tons of medical supplies to Lanka’s ambulance service

    Lankan Prez orders LKR 1.8 billion (US$ 5 million) to be spent on drugs import  

    Lankan Prez orders LKR 1.8 billion (US$ 5 million) to be spent on drugs import  

    In this 1971 Center For Disease Control handout photo, monkeypox-like lesions are shown on the arm and leg of a female child in Bondua, Liberia. CDC | Getty Images

    The Covid conspiracies being recycled for monkeypox

    Exercise. Image credits - Victor Freitas @victorfreitas / Unsplash

    Best exercise time differs for men and women, says US study

    High life in troubled Colombo  

    High life in troubled Colombo  

    Trending Tags

    • Golden Globes
    • Mr. Robot
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Climate Change
    • Flat Earth
  • Tech
    Bitcoin. Image credits - Onov3056

    Bitcoin slides below $20,000 to lowest level in 18 months

    Digital banking platform Revolut launches in Sri Lanka

    Digital banking platform Revolut launches in Sri Lanka

    Microsoft's Internet Explorer was first included with a Windows 95 upgrade pack. Image credits - Ina Fried/CNET

    End of an era: Microsoft retires Internet Explorer

    Cryptocurrency boom. Image credits - Executium @executium / Unsplash

    Cryptocurrency market value slumps under $1 trillion

    iPhone. Image credits - Tron Le @tronle_sg / Unsplash

    EU deal to force iPhones to use USB-C charger by 2024

    Whatsapp. Image credits - AARN GIRI / Unsplash

    WhatsApp to get edit button, undo messages and other features soon 

    Trending Tags

    • Sillicon Valley
    • Climate Change
    • Election Results
    • Flat Earth
    • Golden Globes
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Mr. Robot
  • Coronavirus
  • Videos
NewsIn.Asia
No Result
View All Result
Home Around South Asia Bangladesh

Sri Lankan Bulath and Bangladeshi Sanchi are hot favorites among betel chewers of Karachi

Editor by Editor
December 5, 2016
in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Reading Time: 6 mins read
7 0
A A
Share on WhatsApp

Karachi, December 6 (Dawn): Pakistanis may know very little about Sri Lanka and they may be in conflict with Bangladesh, but there is one thing they love to have from these countries – the betel leaf. The Sri Lankan “Bulath” known in Pakistan as “Siloni” and its Bangladeshi version “Sanchi” are hot favorites among betel chewers in Karachi where “paan” chewing is a cultural hallmark that spans a wide social spectrum from daily wage laborers to socialites.

Karachi’s denizens have some distinct traits that make their city what it is, writes Fahad Naveed in Dawn. A few of them are their reverence towards the sea, their ‘life goes on’ attitude in the face of the city’s unpredictable halaat (security conditions) and their undying thirst for chai. Then there is one more characteristic Karachiite obsession that is so omnipresent that it almost fades into the city’s background — their love for paan.

Everywhere you turn in the city, you come across paan khokas(makeshift stalls). Such modest two-and-a-half-by-four feet kiosks hold ingredients to make numerous types of paans that would satisfy anyone — from a tired labourer to a high-flying socialite.

ADVERTISEMENT

In the post-lunch hours on a weekday, the usual hustle and bustle associated with Burns Road has temporarily died down. Eateries are relatively empty and vendors are preparing for rush hour.

Not Muhammad Umar though, whose paan business is booming round the clock. Customers surround his small kiosk. Some purchase loose cigarettes and light them with a lighter tied to the stall’s window. Others order different types of paans.

Umar prepares them with the speed and precision of a pro. It is a treat to watch him in his element. He picks out different ingredients swiftly putting just the right amount of each onto betel leafs.

He has been in the business for a long time. He learned the craft from his father, who, too, had a paan stall.

In the post-lunch hours on a weekday, the usual hustle and bustle associated with Burns Road has temporarily died down. Eateries are relatively empty and vendors are preparing for rush hour.

Not Muhammad Umar though, whose paan business is booming round the clock. Customers surround his small kiosk. Some purchase loose cigarettes and light them with a lighter tied to the stall’s window. Others order different types of paans.

Umar prepares them with the speed and precision of a pro. It is a treat to watch him in his element. He picks out different ingredients swiftly putting just the right amount of each onto betel leafs.

He has been in the business for a long time. He learned the craft from his father, who, too, had a paan stall.

Umar’s red lips indicate that he does more than just sell paan.

He seems to be a man of few words at first. This illusion, however, is broken when he spits out a mouthful of paan juice and starts talking.

The "Siloni" leaf from  Ceylon and the Sanchi leaf  from Bangladesh are sweeter than the  homegrown Pakistani betel leaf
The “Siloni” leaf from Ceylon and the Sanchi leaf from Bangladesh are sweeter than the homegrown Pakistani betel leaf

“I know paans like no other,” he boasts, “I have been doing this for so long, I can tell what kind someone wants just by looking at them.”

A cigarette brand has provided Umar’s kiosk. The white and gold stall is replete with the company’s branding. He thus does not have to worry about rent, unlike other shopkeepers. Perhaps this is why his paans are cheaper than the competitor’s. Or maybe it is the close proximately to Paan Mandi in Jodia Bazaar — the market where most paan salesmen buy their ingredients.

Meetha (sweet) paan costs Rs10 at Umar’s stall. He sells other paans at seven rupees a pop.

In contrast at Moosa Pan Shop on PIDC, the offerings are much pricier, and if shopkeeper Abdul Qadir Malbari is to be believed, far superior.

Malbari, who has been doing this for 20 years, says that at roadside kiosks the paan is made in Pakistani leaf, which is bitter.

The priciest, Meetha paan at his shop, however, is made in a full ‘Sanchi’ leave from Bangladesh. This paan costs 120 rupees. Another high-quality leaf is ‘Silon’ from Sri Lanka. “These leaves are sweeter,” says Malbari. “It’s all about the leaf and the khushboo (aroma).”

A young man and his sister come to the store and order 20 paans. “Ensure that they are wrapped in golden paper,” the man stresses. He is buying the delicacy for his sister’s future in-laws.

Be it a celebration or a trying day at work, there is a paan for every occasion.

Another man comes to Moosa Pan shop, quickly buys one with tobacco and races back to work.

When asked what kinds of customers buy tobacco-filled paans, the shopkeeper says those people are the more “professional paan eaters” — ones who need the narcotic kick to get through the day.

Sultan Hussain is standing at a paan stall in Sindhi Muslim Society. He patiently waits for his order to be prepared. He lives in Gulshan-i-Iqbal but makes a trip to this particular khokha almost every day. This is where the best tobacco paans are available, he says.

“The magic is in the katha [catechu mixed with water to make a paste],” Hussain says.

There are many variations of tobacco paans too, he explains. “There is Patti Tambaku, Mumtaz Tezpatti, Muradabadi, 120 Number, Indian Patti, Shahzadi Patti, Azizi Patti,” he names a few. Instead of one of the more exotic sounding paans with Mughal-era names, however, Hussain opts for the Mix Tambaku paan (with Tambakoo or tobacco).

He eats 20 paans a day. The middle-aged man has been a paan-eater since the age of 20.

“The first time I ate a paan with a friend, it was a Saunf Khushboo. My friend made fun of me for eating such a zanana (feminine) paan.” He thus switched to the supposedly more mardana (manly) tobacco paans.

Hussain thinks he can easily beat this habit anytime he wants. “You know I fast the whole of Ramazan. For that month, I go through the entire day without a single paan. From Iftaar to Sehri, I manage to eat about 10, and that is sufficient for me,” he says with unmistakable pride.

Naavigating through a traffic jam-packed Jodia Bazaar is not easy but Paan Mandi is curiously quiet.

Some vendors with baskets full of leafs are sitting on the sidewalk of a small alley.

“Business has been really bad for the past three months,” laments a vendor Umaruddin. “There was a time when you wouldn’t be able to walk here on a weekend due to the rush, and look at it now.”

His earnings are unpredictable and depend on how many customers come to the bazaar on a certain day. In general the ‘Sanchi’ leaves are sold for 100 rupees per kilogramme, while 50 grams of ‘Silon’ are sold between the rates of 60 rupees and 80 rupees.

There was a time when imported leaves would sell for 300 rupees to 500 rupees per kilogram, Umaruddin shares, but those days feel like a distant memory now.

Gutkha, used in Paan making, is smuggled from India and is a major draw in Pakistan
Gutkha, used in Paan making, is smuggled from India and is a major draw in Pakistan

Venturing into an explanation, Munawar, a paan ‘cabin’ owner for the past 20 years, says that in certain areas demand for paan has taken a hit with the rise in gutka culture (influenced by India).

Gutka or Guṭkha is a preparation of crushed areca nut, tobacco, catechu, paraffin vax ,slaked lime and sweeteners. It is manufactured in India and exported to a few other countries. A mild stimulant, it is considered responsible for oral cancer.

Munawar’s khokha is in Dhobi Ghatt. “I sell paans for as low as five rupees,” he says. Another shopkeeper playfully interjects: “What you sell isn’t even paan. It is just the leaf with a few pieces of chhaliya[diced areca nut], of course that will cost five rupees.” Even at this price, most are no longer interested in what he is selling. “Now everyone asks for gutka from India,” Munawar adds.

There may be more to the story: Another storeowner, Salman, shares that while readymade paans continue to sell in Karachi, the tradition of homemade paans is dying. “A good majority of our customers buying betel leaves and other ingredients are either older in age, or are making the purchase for their parents or grandparents,” he adds.

But with time, this generation of homemade paan eaters is fading, and so is the culture.

People visiting Javairiya Abbas’s house may think the beautiful golden paan-daan in her house is a decoration piece, but it is more than mere ornamentation for the young woman.

It belonged to her grandmother (Dadi), Naeema Khatoon.

“I don’t eat a lot of paan myself, but I was taught how to make one by Dadi,” she tells Dawn. “It had to be ensured that the chalia is dried in sunlight. The katha had to be bought from a specific shop in Delhi Colony. The leaf had to be ‘Saatchi’. She would instruct, ‘don’t use too much chunna, and ensure there is plenty of katha – that is what gives the paan the taste’.”

Naeema Khatoon’s paans were famous even in extended family and friends; visitors would always request her to prepare paan for them.

“She would get irritated also, thinking that her stash may run low later. But she loved seeing everyone enjoying the paans she prepared.”

Abbas lost her Dadi. She now considers the paan-daan a family heirloom.

Paan eating is not the same at the Abbas household now. “My father still eats paan sometimes, but he just buys one from Boat Basin if  need be”.

 

 

 

 

Related Posts

IMF team assures Lanka help in line with IMF’s policies
Around South Asia

IMF team assures Lanka help in line with IMF’s policies

June 25, 2022
LKR 3 billion (US$ 8.3 million) worth of aid from Tamil Nadu arrives in Colombo
Diplomacy

LKR 3 billion (US$ 8.3 million) worth of aid from Tamil Nadu arrives in Colombo

June 24, 2022
Water cut. Image credits - Walter Randlehoff / Unsplash
Around South Asia

10-hour water cut in areas of Colombo tomorrow

June 24, 2022
Protesters marching towards Police HQ
Around South Asia

Sri Lanka’s sorry plight – who is to blame?

June 24, 2022
New Zealand pledges over LKR 180 Mn to help crisis-hit Sri Lankan children
Around South Asia

New Zealand pledges over LKR 180 Mn to help crisis-hit Sri Lankan children

June 23, 2022
Exchange Rate
Around South Asia

Foreign Exchange Rates from Central Bank of Sri Lanka; USD, GBP, EUR, SGD, CAD

June 23, 2022
  • Electricity

    Power cut schedule for June 25 in Sri Lanka

    43149 shares
    Share 17275 Tweet 10781
  • Foreign Exchange Rates from Central Bank of Sri Lanka; USD, GBP, EUR, SGD, CAD

    1177 shares
    Share 477 Tweet 292
  • WATCH : Yohani’s first live performance in India

    784 shares
    Share 326 Tweet 191
  • Power interruption schedule released: Check your area power cut time

    726 shares
    Share 304 Tweet 176
  • Leader of Bohra community meets President

    668 shares
    Share 271 Tweet 165
  • About Us
  • Advertisements
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

© 2022 All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Around South Asia
    • Afghanistan
    • Bangladesh
    • Bhutan
    • China
    • India
    • Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Pakistan
    • Sri Lanka
  • Around The World
  • Breaking News
  • Business
    • Exchange
  • Climate Change
  • Governance
    • Crime
    • Diplomacy
    • Defense
    • Human Rights
    • Politics
    • Strategic Affairs
  • Lifestyle
    • Books
    • Entertainment
      • Arts
      • Cinema
      • Gaming
      • Music
      • Movie
      • Series
      • TV
    • Health
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
  • Culture
    • Ethnicity
    • Gender
  • Development news
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Coronavirus
  • History
  • National
  • Offbeat
    • Media
    • Music and arts across South Asia
  • Recommended
    • Headlines
    • Highlights
    • Top Picture
    • Top Story
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Cricket
      • LPL
      • IPL
    • Tennis
    • Formula 1
    • NBA
  • Tech
    • Instagram
  • United Nations
  • Weather
  • World
    • Japan
    • Russia
    • United States
  • Videos

© 2022 All rights reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist