Observant pedestrians in the environs of 74th Street and 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights, Queens, soon notice a common pattern. Abstract red splotches pepper the pavement. They tell the tale of paan chewing and the copious scarlet saliva it generates. The thousand-year-old tradition is alive and well in this bustling neighborhood of sari shops, Bengali kebab houses, greengrocers, paratha factories, and what seems like a blocklong store specializing in ornate Indian bridal jewelry.
Aphrodisiac, blood purifier, breath-freshener, digestive, stimulant ? yes the triangular betel-leaf wrapped bundle that is paan has it all, including the ability to stain your teeth red after years of habitual usage. Paan boasts a rich ceremonial history. Early Sanskrit texts mention its consumption as one of the enjoyments of royal life, which also include incenses, women, clothes, music, bed and food.
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