Taamboolam
Taamboola Poorita Mukhi
Daadimi Kusuma Prabha !
114[SUP]th[/SUP] sloka.
The aura of the reddened lips, with voluptuous smile, because of the mouth filled by Taamboolam is an adjectival phrase by which Goddess Lalitha is worshipped in the Lalitha Sahasranama Stotram, occurring as a discussion between Hayagriva and Agasthya in Sri Brahmanda Puranam.
This is one of the earliest references to Tamboolam. She is described as a friend by the end of the sloka , ‘mitra rupini’. She will undoubtedly bestow whatever is prayed to her by the devotee.
“Pugiphala Samaa yuktam Nagavalli Dalair Utam
Karpoora Choorna Samyuktam Tamboolam Parigruhyataam”
‘Pugiphala’ is a Sanskrit word for areca-nut, more commonly known as ‘betel nut’. ‘Nagavalli dalam’ is the Sanskrit word for tender betel leaves, known as ‘vetrilai’ in tamil.
“Accompanied by areca-nut, betel leaves and a chooran (powder) of camphor and other spices, oh Lord, please do partake, in return, the tamboolam.”
Why ‘Parigruhyatam’ and not merely ‘gruhyatam’? This is a mantra in daily pooja to the Gods, after ‘Naivedhyam’. This is followed by tamboolam, which is offered to the God in return, obviously the devotee is binding the God for a favour to be done. In other words, Naivedhyam is just an offering, while tamboolam is a ‘contract’ !
Chewing the mixture of areca nut and betel leaf is a tradition, custom or ritual for thousands of years, from south Asia to the Pacific, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, Bhutan, Taiwan, Myanmar, Cambodia, the Solomon Islands, Thailand, Laos, the Maldives, Indonesia, Phillipines, and Vietnam. It is not known how and when the two were combined to act as a psycho-active drug, but the fact that they were used to bind a contract, more particularly in love or wedlock, seems to be evident as a tradition in many of these countries, the areca-nut playing a more important part, since the combination is called ‘Tamboolam’ and not ‘Nagavalli’ (betel leaf).
Where areca-nut plays only a secondary role, the two are taken together with a tinge of slaked lime (chunnambu, more orthodox families do not even mention its name and call it ‘mundravadhu’- the third) and various spices. In North India, it is called Paan, where different spices like camphor, saffron, gutka (kattha in Hindi), elaichi, lavang, etc. are added. Paan in lucknow or Benaras costs as much as Rs. 500/- or Rs. 1000/- each, depending on the ingredients, including swarna bhasmam (gold powder), silver foil etc. In dry form, it is available in small sachets as paan-masala or supari and is called ‘gutka’ when mixed with tobacco. The chewing of paan, among lovers, acting as a mouth-fresher and muscle relaxant, is different from the custom when the same areca-nut is exchanged between two parties as taamboolam.
The word Taambool for the areca nut is Sanskrit (also called poogi phalam in Sanskrit), is used now only in Assamese, though in a slightly corrupted form, as ‘Tamol’. The equivalent words in some of the other languages are :
- Supari or Sopari in many of the North Indian languages, and in Nepal.
- Pakku in Tamil
Similarly the betel leaves are known as :
- Nagavalli in Sanskrit
- Vetrilai in Tamil
What is important to note is, that, even as milk and sugar, when mixed with coffee is called only coffee, and not by the name of the other contents, when betel leaf is offered together with areca nut, it is called tamboolam and not nagavalli, etc; then it becomes a potent culmination of a contract. Let us see:
· We already saw how we pray for favours from the ‘Tamboola Purita Mukhi’, goddess Lalitha.
· We also saw how the deities are prayed for return favours for Taamboolam offered to them.
· At the end of any ritual, carried out with the help of a priest, we say ‘sadakshinaakam sa taamboolam naanaa gotrebhyo brahmanebhyo tebyah tebyah sampradadey’ – “I give to the Brahmins of assorted different gotras, the dakshinai and tamboolam , and , in return, credit the punya of the rituals to my account. Of course, we end up further by saying that everything done is to Lord Janardhana and not mine – a high form of sacrifice.
· In marriage betrothal ceremonies, taamboolam plates are exchanged between the parents of the bride and groom, which seals an irrevocable contract of marriage.
· Towards the end of the wedding ceremonies, tamboolam is offered by the bride and the groom to each other in their mouth. This is one of the 25 important angas of the marriage, and is called ‘Taamboola carvanam’, and forms the penultimate part of the entire wedding ceremony, before asirvadam. The couple use it not only as a breath freshener, and mild intoxicant towards each other, but also as a vow that each is made for the other for the rest of their life.
· In marriages or other auspicious functions ‘Tamboolam bags’ necessarily containing areca nut and betel leaf, besides other things, are offered to the guests, who by acceptance, automatically assure their blessings to the host and family, again a contract.
· The practice of exchanging Taamboolam for contracting a deal or wedding exists outside India also.
· In Vietnam, the areca nut and betel leaf are such important symbols of love and marriage that, in Vietnamese, the phrase “matters of betel and areca (chuyen trau cau)” is synonymous with marriage and explains the folklore of their tradition.
· Malay culture and tradition offer guests betel nut and betel leaves, the same way as one offers drinks to guests now. The Malay proverb “Bagaikan pinang dibelah dua” loosely translated means like the two halves of newly weds, who are one, but only physically divided.
· In the Indian subcontinent the chewing of betel and areca nut dates back to the pre-vedic Harappan period.
· In Assam, it is a tradition to offer Paan-Tamol during religious and marriage ceremonies, when it is the role of a fertility symbol.
· Tambool, in its Hindi / Marathi / Gujarati name, as supari, we all know the deadly implications of acceptance of supari; It is a contract, for defacing a person, removal of a limb, or even killing, known as ‘supari killing’. This needs hardly to be dealt with in greater detail.
In sum, Taamboolam, areca nut, either alone or together with betel leaf has been a material for vow and contract, with God, human relations, striking a marriage deal or the deadly supari killing, all over South and South-East Asia, for many thousands of years. It has far deeper significance than we superficially understand.
Taamboola Poorita Mukhi
Daadimi Kusuma Prabha !
114[SUP]th[/SUP] sloka.
The aura of the reddened lips, with voluptuous smile, because of the mouth filled by Taamboolam is an adjectival phrase by which Goddess Lalitha is worshipped in the Lalitha Sahasranama Stotram, occurring as a discussion between Hayagriva and Agasthya in Sri Brahmanda Puranam.
This is one of the earliest references to Tamboolam. She is described as a friend by the end of the sloka , ‘mitra rupini’. She will undoubtedly bestow whatever is prayed to her by the devotee.
“Pugiphala Samaa yuktam Nagavalli Dalair Utam
Karpoora Choorna Samyuktam Tamboolam Parigruhyataam”
‘Pugiphala’ is a Sanskrit word for areca-nut, more commonly known as ‘betel nut’. ‘Nagavalli dalam’ is the Sanskrit word for tender betel leaves, known as ‘vetrilai’ in tamil.
“Accompanied by areca-nut, betel leaves and a chooran (powder) of camphor and other spices, oh Lord, please do partake, in return, the tamboolam.”
Why ‘Parigruhyatam’ and not merely ‘gruhyatam’? This is a mantra in daily pooja to the Gods, after ‘Naivedhyam’. This is followed by tamboolam, which is offered to the God in return, obviously the devotee is binding the God for a favour to be done. In other words, Naivedhyam is just an offering, while tamboolam is a ‘contract’ !
Chewing the mixture of areca nut and betel leaf is a tradition, custom or ritual for thousands of years, from south Asia to the Pacific, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, Bhutan, Taiwan, Myanmar, Cambodia, the Solomon Islands, Thailand, Laos, the Maldives, Indonesia, Phillipines, and Vietnam. It is not known how and when the two were combined to act as a psycho-active drug, but the fact that they were used to bind a contract, more particularly in love or wedlock, seems to be evident as a tradition in many of these countries, the areca-nut playing a more important part, since the combination is called ‘Tamboolam’ and not ‘Nagavalli’ (betel leaf).
Where areca-nut plays only a secondary role, the two are taken together with a tinge of slaked lime (chunnambu, more orthodox families do not even mention its name and call it ‘mundravadhu’- the third) and various spices. In North India, it is called Paan, where different spices like camphor, saffron, gutka (kattha in Hindi), elaichi, lavang, etc. are added. Paan in lucknow or Benaras costs as much as Rs. 500/- or Rs. 1000/- each, depending on the ingredients, including swarna bhasmam (gold powder), silver foil etc. In dry form, it is available in small sachets as paan-masala or supari and is called ‘gutka’ when mixed with tobacco. The chewing of paan, among lovers, acting as a mouth-fresher and muscle relaxant, is different from the custom when the same areca-nut is exchanged between two parties as taamboolam.
The word Taambool for the areca nut is Sanskrit (also called poogi phalam in Sanskrit), is used now only in Assamese, though in a slightly corrupted form, as ‘Tamol’. The equivalent words in some of the other languages are :
- Supari or Sopari in many of the North Indian languages, and in Nepal.
- Pakku in Tamil
Similarly the betel leaves are known as :
- Nagavalli in Sanskrit
- Vetrilai in Tamil
What is important to note is, that, even as milk and sugar, when mixed with coffee is called only coffee, and not by the name of the other contents, when betel leaf is offered together with areca nut, it is called tamboolam and not nagavalli, etc; then it becomes a potent culmination of a contract. Let us see:
· We already saw how we pray for favours from the ‘Tamboola Purita Mukhi’, goddess Lalitha.
· We also saw how the deities are prayed for return favours for Taamboolam offered to them.
· At the end of any ritual, carried out with the help of a priest, we say ‘sadakshinaakam sa taamboolam naanaa gotrebhyo brahmanebhyo tebyah tebyah sampradadey’ – “I give to the Brahmins of assorted different gotras, the dakshinai and tamboolam , and , in return, credit the punya of the rituals to my account. Of course, we end up further by saying that everything done is to Lord Janardhana and not mine – a high form of sacrifice.
· In marriage betrothal ceremonies, taamboolam plates are exchanged between the parents of the bride and groom, which seals an irrevocable contract of marriage.
· Towards the end of the wedding ceremonies, tamboolam is offered by the bride and the groom to each other in their mouth. This is one of the 25 important angas of the marriage, and is called ‘Taamboola carvanam’, and forms the penultimate part of the entire wedding ceremony, before asirvadam. The couple use it not only as a breath freshener, and mild intoxicant towards each other, but also as a vow that each is made for the other for the rest of their life.
· In marriages or other auspicious functions ‘Tamboolam bags’ necessarily containing areca nut and betel leaf, besides other things, are offered to the guests, who by acceptance, automatically assure their blessings to the host and family, again a contract.
· The practice of exchanging Taamboolam for contracting a deal or wedding exists outside India also.
· In Vietnam, the areca nut and betel leaf are such important symbols of love and marriage that, in Vietnamese, the phrase “matters of betel and areca (chuyen trau cau)” is synonymous with marriage and explains the folklore of their tradition.
· Malay culture and tradition offer guests betel nut and betel leaves, the same way as one offers drinks to guests now. The Malay proverb “Bagaikan pinang dibelah dua” loosely translated means like the two halves of newly weds, who are one, but only physically divided.
· In the Indian subcontinent the chewing of betel and areca nut dates back to the pre-vedic Harappan period.
· In Assam, it is a tradition to offer Paan-Tamol during religious and marriage ceremonies, when it is the role of a fertility symbol.
· Tambool, in its Hindi / Marathi / Gujarati name, as supari, we all know the deadly implications of acceptance of supari; It is a contract, for defacing a person, removal of a limb, or even killing, known as ‘supari killing’. This needs hardly to be dealt with in greater detail.
In sum, Taamboolam, areca nut, either alone or together with betel leaf has been a material for vow and contract, with God, human relations, striking a marriage deal or the deadly supari killing, all over South and South-East Asia, for many thousands of years. It has far deeper significance than we superficially understand.
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