Going for a Paan Break in Jaipur

A few cities in India are famous for certain things that are truly unparalleled. Just like Nagpur is famous for oranges, Jaipur has earned the fame for Paans. For those who are new to India and its traditions, Paan is a mouth-freshener prepared with a combination of betel leaf, areca nut, tobacco (occasionally), fennel seeds, gulkand, katha, mukhwa, and many other refreshing ingredients. The psychoactive and stimulant effects of this fantastic creation are well-known from centuries in India and abroad. The Mughals have it mentioned in their scriptures as well. It is a simple, yet complex creation, which requires years of practice and expertise. Only a few Paan sellers in the country have been able to become famous for their variety of paans. 

Jaipur is one such city in Rajasthan where eating a Paan after a meal is a must-do. When I went there last month in October, I had made an elaborate itinerary to visit various forts and palaces. However, all of my plans failed because I had not managed my itinerary well. Nevertheless, few good things also happened on our vacation. I am blessed to have a supportive family who does not crib over petty issues. Even though our plans did not work out well in Jaipur, we still had a great time with each other.

It was our first day in Jaipur when we saw a massive crowd in front of a bicycle. Our first thought was that there must have been an accident, which is why such dozens of people were present. However, the presence of BMWs and Audi’s made it a little fishy scene. I got down from my car to find out what was wrong as the traffic was already moving at a snail’s pace. To my utter surprise, it was nothing else, but the rush to grab the Paan from the seller. I had never seen such a swarm of people maddening around to grab a piece of mouth-freshener. 

I have bought Paan from a few sellers in Delhi who are really famous for their creations. They sell a wide range of paans in flavors like chocolate, strawberry, Maghai Paan, Saada Paan, Paan, Banarasi Paan, Meetha Paan, Silver Paan, Rasamalai Paan, Gold Paan, Chocolate Paan, Bangla Paan, Tambaku Paan, Misti Paan, Jagannath Paan, and Kalkatti Paan. I must say that I have googled these names from just one source, and these are only a few variants of Paan sold in Delhi. Despite such a vast assortment of their creations, none of the sellers are able to attract more than ten buyers at one time.

Anyway, I got down to know what was so special about this seller. After waiting for a good fifteen minutes, I could manage to have my turn to buy his special creation of Paan. To my utter surprise, the person was not even preparing the Paan. He had already got his stock ready from home, and he was selling only Meetha Paan, which was quite cold I must say. He would take out the required number of paans from his storage box, probably a mini-refrigerator, and give them to his customers. I grabbed the four paans for my family, paid the price, and rushed back to my Self-Drive Car Rental Jaipur. 

As I gave my parents and sister the famed paans of Jaipur, and opened my share of this majestic creation, I looked at my sister who was about to ask something from me with her mouth filled with paan. As I was gulping down the cold and fresh paan, she asked me the name of the seller, and my reaction was, "Oops! I didn't ask for it!" What a shame! No, I did not go there again in the long queue to ask it.