Made of 'Maipung' or burlwood

With silver-gilt fittings

3.50cm high x 12cm long x 7cm deep

>> Some scratches to the wood, commensurate with age and use Provenance:From the Jamshed & Parvati Fozdar Collection (Mr Jamshed Fozdar is the son of Mrs. Shirin Fozdar, one of the founders of Singapore and women’s rights activist)Note: Betel chewing was known in the colonial days as betel-nut chewing. The art of paan or betel chewing dates back to the pre-Vedic Saivite Harappan empire. It requires three different plants used in combination: the betel nut which is the seed of the areca palm, the betel leaf which comes from the pan plant, and lime. It acts as a mouth freshener, helps digestion and creates a sense of euphoria. A betel chewer is recognised by the red staining of the mouth, gum, teeth and lips. Generating a large amount of saliva, the excess juices are spat out. These little morsels are sold on the streets or market. In traditional Indian households, a good host would offer a silver tray piled with a pyramid of paan after a sumptuous meal. The chewing of betel leaf is more popular among the South Indians