Street Vending: A Case of Economic Adaptation of the “Paanwalas” in Indian Cities

Background

Traditionally, India is a consumer of the betel leaf or the ‘paan’. However, betel leaves chewing is not particular to only India but also to many Eastern countries. Betel leaf chewing is a part of the culture of such countries as Burma, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, the Pacific Islands, the Marquesas, China, Indo-China, Siam, East Africa, Arabia and Persia to name but a few. The consumption of ‘paan’ can be seen as a matter of habit, a convention, a part of hospitality or just an after-meal accompaniment ‘breath-sweetening technique’. In birth and death, in joy and sorrow, in respect and contempt, in friendship and enmity and in challenge as well as in honor, the indispensable nature of betel leaf is ever highlighted in all actions taken in the countries mentioned earlier.

Beyond the consumption of betel leaf for its carminative effects (the chewing after meals for its digestive and breath sweetening effects), the betel leaf offers medicinal advantages too. With the introduction of Tobacco by the Portuguese in the 16^th century and its widespread use in India and China in the 17^th Century, the betel leaf consumption with lime and tobacco became popular. In the former era, the betel leaf was consumed wholly while in the latter, the betel leaf is held in the mouth for the effect of tobacco and was neither swallowed nor consumed. The consumption of the betel leaf graduated to habitual chewing for narcotics effects with the use of tobacco. Betel leaf ultimately moved from the traditional ‘paandaan’, a small decorated box carried along with accompaniments kept in separated compartments to street corners with the paanwala, who offered a variety of paan as per the likings and taste of the consumer. The chewing of the betel leaf drifted away from its pure and harmless practice to one that of addiction with the use of tobacco.

One does not find much literature discussing the emergence of the paanwala as a revenue generating venture. It can only be said that the consumption of the betel leaf is a matter of cultural practice that ultimately spread to nooks and corners of villages, towns and cities as a matter of habitual practice. With the passage of time, the consumption of betel leaf along with tobacco has shifted to other processed forms of tobacco. While the traditional betel leaf is being sidelined and may soon vanish from the scene or get to be a rare commodity due to little demand for the same or for the shift to other forms of tobacco use, the ‘paanwala’ is no longer one who sells only ‘paan’. One needs to take note of how the life and times of the ‘paanwala’ have changed in the last one or two decades, especially with the opening up of the economy and the wide variety of substitutes available in competition to the ‘paan’. Betel leaf vending has now emerged as a much sought-after livelihood option with the changing times. The retail industry boom in India probably has provided the paanwala the opportunity for a lucrative entrepreneurial enterprise and may be referred to as a ‘mini supermarket’ found at convenient locations. Quite interestingly, the paanwala has kept pace with the changing times and shown great deal of transformation and diversification in his business.