Story of 'Vakka'.

 Introduction:

Consider the statements:

1.     ‘It’s chewing has become a ceremonial necessity in this country.

2.      ‘It’ forms an auspicious material for greeting elders, guests and gods’.

Can you guess what is ‘it’ referring to?

Yes, it is ‘Nut powder’. Chewing ‘Nut powder’ after having lunch or dinner is observed India and in most of the places. It gives a feeling to brain about ‘completion of task’ by mouth.

Plant family:

Betel or areca nut is the seeds of the betel palm, Areca catechu. The term ‘Areca’ is an adaptation of the Malaysian word, adekka[1]  for the plant. They belong to the same family as the coconut [Palmae]. The plant grows tall, unbranched, rising to a height of 12 – 30 metres and uniformly thick. The leaves are long, smooth, shiny and green.

Composition:

The kernel contains catechu, tannin, gallic acid, oily matter (with 14 per cent fat), gum and characteristic alkaloids like Arecoline that is readily absorbed into the body.

The fruit is long, smooth, green when young, becoming orange on ripening. The fruit bears an endosperm inside the seed. It is exposed to air and sun to use as the supari or betel nut. The seed is hard and conical.  ‘Catechu’ is extracted from the seeds and used in various ways.

Pros and cons:

Although it stains and destroys teeth and gums, it is chewed directly or along with betel leaf or as a ‘sweet pan’ for a fine fragrance to the breath and for the juice aids digestion. Tradition has changed the chewing nut with or without tobacco, and some-times with a variety of many other ingredients like cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and other spices.

Chewing the nut increases the formation of saliva. It decreases perspiration, sweetens the breath and generates a feeling of a good disposition. Apart from its value when chewed, the nut has considerable uses in medicine too. Chewing paan with betel nut is one of the popular mannerisms.

Excess or prolonged chewing may damage the membranes of the mouth/ gums that can result in loss of teeth and sometimes even cancer. The raw and the unripe nut is poisonous and harmful to the eyesight. According to ‘Yunani’ physicians betel nut is considered as a nerve tonic.

Uses of areca:

1.     Powdered nuts are given in a dosage to diarrhoea caused by debility. Such a procedure also proves beneficial for disorders in urination.

2.     Areca nut burnt to charcoal with catechu and cinnamon makes a good tooth powder.

3.     Processed unripe nut is rubbed with milk and drunk to destroy tape worms.

4.     An excellent ‘vermifuge’ can be prepared using betel nut powder and fresh lemon juice.

5.     An extract from young leaves is made for massaging the muscles and tendons of the waist, in case of aches and pains there.

Harmful effects of areca:

1.     It causes roughness in the chest and urinary stones.

2.      Excessive use of supari leads to anaemia and the appearance of jaundice.

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Reference sites:

 [1] Chamber’s English Dictionary traces the root of the term Areca to a Portuguese adaptation of the Malaysian word, adekka, for the plant.

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