Interview with Srilal Chaurasiya, Paan Walla

(Q1) INTERVIEWER: Do we have your permission to tape record?

(A1) SRILAL CHAURASIYA: Yes.

(Q2) INTERVIEWER: And put the recording on a computer so that students can hear what you say?

(A2) SRILAL CHAURASIYA: "No objection."

(Q3) INTERVIEWER: "Thank you," would you please introduce yourself?

(A3) SRILAL CHAURASIYA: My name is Srilal Chaurasiya - Chaurasiya is the caste name given to those who sell paan. It's our caste obligation.

(Q4) INTERVIEWER: So, you sell paan . Paan is very difficult to get in America so can you explain what paan is?

(A4) SRILAL CHAURASIYA: Paan -it's an ancient Indian tradition. In times past in royal courts, paan was the kind of thing that was offered to someone who had done a great work-he was given a great honor. We consider paan to be a very auspicious thing, according to our religious texts paan is offered to a deity during worship-there is no paan in heaven. In our shastras, it is said on the religious text during every worship service it is necessary to offer paan . It's offered for auspiciousness and after that in order to purify the mouth. Some people eat it because they like how it turns their lips red. Some people eat it because it's an intoxicant. Some people offer paan to guest as a sign of respect or to cleanse the mouth after drinking tea. Understand that it's an Indian form of welcome. Suppose someone says, "Brother did you get tea and paan ?" it's the most elemental part of a welcome if you didn't get tea and paan then you weren't welcomed appropriately. For these reasons, paan is an essential part of Indian "culture."

(Q5) INTERVIEWER: Great-so when you prepare paan , what goes in it? First, there's the leaf.

(A5) SRILAL CHAURASIYA: Yes, first the leaf is prepared and there are several varieties of leaf. For example, in India , the highest quality of paan is called "Maghi." It's grown in Bihar , near Gaya and on the Aurgangabad side.

(Q6) INTERVIEWER: What does it look like?

(A6) SRILAL CHAURASIYA: As far as I understand, it's planted once a year and harvested just before summer.

(Q7) INTERVIEWER: Is there a special mark of Maghi paan?

(A7) SRILAL CHAURASIYA: The leaf is very tender-it matures very quickly and doesn't deteriorate very quickly and so it's very sweet to taste. It's absolutely tender. It's tasteful and it has a pleasing fragrance too.

(Q8) INTERVIEWER: Can you tell us something about betel nut?

(A8) SRILAL CHAURASIYA: Most of the betel nut around here comes from Assam and the betel nut from Assam is considered to be the best.

(Q9) INTERVIEWER: Is there some sort of religious significance to betel nut?

(A9) SRILAL CHAURASIYA: Paan and supari are used in worship often understood to be Ganesh themselves. In every worship, especially rituals surrounding weddings, supari is offered, not just with Hindus but with Muslims as well.

(Q10) INTERVIEWER: And that red.

(A10) SRILAL CHAURASIYA: This is all stuff for making paan , after taking the leaf, calcium or chuna is applied and then katha when the two have mixed, then the betel nut .

(Q11) INTERVIEWER: And what exactly is chuna .

(A11) SRILAL CHAURASIYA: Chuna is actually a mineral that comes from excavating.

(Q12) INTERVIEWER: And what is katha ?

(A12) SRILAL CHAURASIYA: Katha is made from the bark of a tree.