tambula: traditions in hindu civilization

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Srinivasan Kalyanaraman <kalyan97@g...> wrote:

Ta_mbu_la is an integral part of hindu civilization and hindu

tradition. The roots lie in Munda traditions (samprada_ya) of

veneration of plants, trees, leaves and tree-products.

 

After offering pa_ni_ya (water for washing hands), a_camana (water

after food), naivedya (food offering), tambula (betel leaves)

together with coconut are offered in pu_ja_vidha_nam. For a meaning

of pu_ja see http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/hist/hist_8a.html

http://www.salagram.net/upacharas.html

 

Tambula and ad.ike (betelnut) are exchanged as a way to communicate

the sealing or settlement of a contract, say, a marriage contract.

 

It is the hindu tradition to offer tambula and kumkumam as a mark of

respect to an atithi as he or she leaves and is a way of saying:

please do come again. The exchanges of tambula becomes a social event

during the days of navara_tri when families visit the golu

(organization of mu_rti-s in a gallery display), a continuing

tradition marked in many parts of southern Bharat.

 

In an exquisite poem (65) in Soundaryalahari, S'ankara uses the

phrase: vis'a_khendro pendraih s'as'ivis'ada karpu_ra s'akala_

vili_yante ma_tas-tava vadana-ta_mbu_la-kabala_h. Devi Sarasvati

dwells on the tip of her tongue and her tongue has turned red which

defies the colour of the japa (hibiscus) flowers. After Kumara, Indra

and Vis.n.u had conquered the asura, they return to you, mother, to

return your gift (prasa_da) of the betel rolls used by you and chew

them until they dissolve, together with the moon-white pieces of

camphor contained in the rolls. Sahasrana_ma of devi also talks of

ta_mbu_lapu_rita mukhi_ (one whose mouth is full of chewing betel).

 

Tambula is chewed together with other fragrant substances -- cloves,

cardamom, kankol, camphor, nutmeg, betelnut -- as mukhava_sa (kept in

the mouth and chewed slowly). Added with chunam (lime), the mouth

turns red, amorous, and the person feels inebriant, as though he has

drunk ancient wine. On Kolkata streets, it is a common sight to see

the spittoons full of red leavings. It is a tribute to the citizens

of Kolkata that they have kept their metro stations and metro

carriages clean of tambula (and tamba_ku) chewings.

 

Ask a vaidya, a practitioner of ayurveda, he or she will say:

 

"Tambula has a cleansing effect.

It removes bad odour from the mouth.

It has a tonic effect on the voice and is therefore useful for public

speakers and singers.

It increases pitta and neutralizes kapha.

It promotes evacuation of the bowels and expulsion of the gases.

Tambula cheers up the spirits, when one feels lazy and tired."

http://www.healthepic.com/ayurveda/swastha/daily_chewing.htm

 

Satyan wrote a cute essay on the splendour of the green leaf.

http://www.meadev.nic.in/photogallery/perspec/sept2001/splendour.htm

He cites Narayana (12th cent.) and Hitopades'a: "the betel nut is

bitter, hot, sweet, spicy, binding, alkaline - a demulcent, an

astringent, a foe to the evils of the intestine; giving to the

chewers a fragrance of breath, to the lips a crimson red; a kindler

of love's flame ... Praise to the Gods for the good betel! These be

the thirteen virtues given, hard to meet in one thing blended, even

in their happy heaven." Sus'ruta (2nd century?) also refers to the

leaf.

 

Some claim that the tambula as a cultural phenomenon is 8000 years

old.

 

Exquisite boxes made of lacquer, of silver and gold, are made to keep

the tambula, the nut-cracker, small lime-box and the nuts. As

exhibits, the boxes adorn many museums. See book review by Prof. KV

Raman of Manjusha: an art centre.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/br/2003/03/25/stories/2003032500030300.h

tm

 

Va_tsya_yana notes: "When the girl accepts the embrace, the man

should put a tambula or screw of betel nut and betel leaves in her

mouth, and if she will not take it, he should induce her to do so by

conciliatory words, entreaties, oaths, and kneeling at her feet, for

it is a universal rule that however bashful or angry a woman may be

she never disregards a man's kneeling at her feet."

http://www.kamasutra-sex.org/text/kama302.htm

 

Etymology

 

TEMBOOL, Betel-leaf. Skt. tambula, adopted in Pers. as tambul, and in

Ar. al-tambul. [it gives its name to the Tambolis or Tamolis, sellers

of betel in the N. Indian bazars.]

 

1298.â€""All the people of this city, as well as the rest of India,

have a custom of perpetually keeping in the mouth a certain leaf

called Tembul. … "â€"Marco Polo, ii. 358.

 

1498.â€""And he held in his left hand a very great cup of gold as high

as a half almude pot … into which he spat a certain herb which the

men of this country chew for solace, and which herb they call

atambor."â€"Roteiro de V. da Gama, 59.

 

1510.â€""He also eats certain leaves of herbs, which are like the

leaves of the sour orange, called by some tamboli."â€"Varthema, 110.

 

1563.â€""Only you should know that Avicenna calls the betre (Betel)

tembul, which seems a word somewhat corrupted, since everybody

pronounces it tambul, and not tembul."â€"Garcia, f. 37h.

http://www.bibliomania.com/2/3/260/1287/20265/1/frameset.html

 

ta_mbu_la is a Munda word in Samskr.tam (first occurs in VarBrS.)

ta_mbu_la betel (VarBrS.) bo_lou (Bahnar); balu (Alak); blu (Kha.);

plu_ (Palanhg) Proto-Munda original *ta_-mbu_l a pre-nasalized

variant of Lave melu, Stieng mlu, says Kuiper.

 

The origins of the word may be traced to ba_ru 'betel' (Bengali)

(CDIAL 9213). bu_lya 'betel leaves, arecanut etc.' (Tulu) vi_t.ikai,

vi_t.i betel; roll of betel leaves with arecanut, spices and lime

(Ta.lex.) bi_r..u creeper (Ka.); bu_l.i id.; (Kurub.); bu_ru id.

(Tu.); i.l.e any creeping plant (Kod..)(DEDR 5460). cf. ba_ru betel

(B.)(CDIAL 9213). ba_rui caste of betel-growers (B.)(CDIAL 9214). cf.

vi_ruha_ a spreading creeper (Pkt.)(CDIAL 12060). ver-r-ila betel

(Ma.); petil es- id. (To.); baccir id. (Tu.)(DEDR 5515). vi_t.i,

i_l.ya, i_l.l.eya, vil.l.e, vil.l.eya, (vi_t.ike), vi_l.aya,

(vi_l.ige), vi_l.e, vi_l.eya, vi_l.ya, vi_l.yaya, vi_l.ai, vi_l.l.eya

the betel plant, piper betel; the leaf of piper betel, the roll of

this leaf with betelnut, spices, and lime to be chewed (Ka.);

vid.iye, vid.emu, vid.ya, vi_d.iya, vi_d.emu, vi_d.ya (Te.); vid.a_,

vid.i_ (M.H.)(Ka.lex.)bi_ra_ roll of betel (OAw.); bi_r.i_ (H.);

vi_t.aka (Skt.); vi_d.ia_ (Pkt.); vi_r.a_ (P.); bir.a_ roll of betel

(B.Or.); biriya_ id. (A.Bi.); bi_r.a_ id. (P.G.H.); bir.u~ id. (G.);

biro (N.); biria_ (MTh.); vid.a_ (M.): bi_d.aga, bi_d.i_ (Pkt.);

bi_r.o (S.) bira_ betel-leaf (A.)(CDIAL 12045). bi_r..u creeper

(Ka.); bu_l.i id. (Kurub.); bu_ru id. (Tu.); i.l.e any creeping plant

(<*I_r..ay) (?Kod..)(DEDR 5460). Image: betel leaf: biri_ tobacco

rolled in a leaf (A.)(CDIAL 12045). ba_ru betel leaf (Skt. <Austro-

as.); betel (B.)(CDIAL 9213). ba_rui caste of betel growers (B.)

(CDIAL 9214). [Austro-as.: -mb- > -m- in one stream; > -b- or -v- in

another stream. (cf. bhe_d.- ~ me_n.d.-). The initial morpheme, tam-

to collect, to heap, to pile up (Sora.lex.); the morpheme is prefixed

generally to berna:n as in tam-berna:n-am 'according to thy word`.

Perhaps a semantic connotation of 'consent or agreement`, attested in

later-day tradition of exchanging ta_mbu_la in marriage contracts.]

[The transformation tambula > ver.r.-ila (bal.l.i = val.l.i) is

perhaps influenced by bi_ra simply, just (Br.)(DEDR 5513) to

emphasise a reference to the betel leaf without the usual

accompaniment of areca nut. This attests to the possible antiquity of

the morphemes: bira_ betel leaf (A.)(CDIAL 12045); ba_ru id. (Skt.)

(CDIAL 9213).] ver-r-o_lai blank, unwritten ola; roll of palmyra

leaf, worn in the ear-lobe, by women (Ta.lex.) Betel: vel.l.ilai

betel leaf (Kampara_. Varaik. 49); vel.l.ilaippar-r-u bundle of betel

leaves (S.I.I. iii,188); vel.l.ilai-y-amutu offering of betel, as to

a deity (S.I.I. ii,128); vel.l.aikkot.i a variety of betel (G.Sm.D.

I.i,215)(Ta.lex.) vel.l.at.ai betel (Kampara_. Ka_rka_n.. 29)

(Ta.lex.) ve_l.aiyam betel leaves and areca nuts (Ta.); vi_laya id.

(Ka.)(Ta.lex.)

 

tambilo an ordinary offering to demons (Tu.lex.) tambol a wedding

present; a due record is kept of the presents made, when any who have

given are married the man who has received tambol, refunds with with

something extra. It is, therefore, a loan rather than a wedding

present in the ordinary sense; betel leaf; tambolan., tamboli_ the

wife of a betel-nut seller, a seller of betel-nut (P.lex.) cf. ta_be

possession (Kon.lex.) tampal red spittle caused by chewing betel

(Kampara_. Varaikka_. 49); tampar id. (Ma_r-analan.. 470, Uta_.);

tampalam id. (Tirukko_. 396); tamma id. (Te.); tampalam betel with

arecanut (Kalit. 65); cf. ta_mbu_la (Skt.)(Ta.lex.) tumpai betel leaf

(Malai.)(Ta.lex.) ta_mbu_la betel, betel leaf (Sus'r.) < Austro.as.;

tambu_la, tambu_li_ (Pali); ta_mbul.a, ta_mbal.a (Or.); tamu_l (OH.);

ta~_bu_l. (M.); bulat, tabala (Si.); tim.pura, drim.pura (NiDoc.);

tam.bo_la betel leaf (Pkt.); tam.bo_li_ the plant (Pkt.); tambol,

tammol (P.); ta~bol, tamol (N.); ta_mol (A.); ta~_bola_ (OB.);

ta~_bul (B.); tam.bora (OAw.); tambol, tamol, tamor (H.); ta~bol. (G.)

(CDIAL 5776). bilat betel (Md.)(CDIAL 14562). tiraiyal roll of betel

prepared for chewing (Cilap. 16,55); betel (Ta.lex.) ta_mbu_lika

seller of betel (R.); tam.bo_lia (Pkt.); tamboli_, tambolan. (P.);

tamoli (N.); ta_muli attendant who prepares and serves betel (A.);

ta_muli_ betel nut seller (MB.); ta~bo_li_ (Aw.); ta~boli_, tamoli_,

tamolin, tamori_ (H.); ta~bol.i_ (G.); ta~_bol.i_ (M.); ta_mli (B.);

ta_mal.i (Or.); ta_moli_ (Mth.); tamoli_ (Bhoj.)(CDIAL 5777).

ta_mpu_lan.-kot.u-ttal to offer betel as a courtesy; to give betel as

a signal for the dispersion or dismissal of a company; to dispense

with one's services; ta_mpu_la-caruvan.am < ta_mbu_la + carvan.a

finishing ceremony of a marriage, when betel leaf is first chewed by

the bridegroom and bride; ta_mpu_la-ta_ran.am chewing betel and areca

(Ar-ap. Cata. 34); ta_mpu_lam betel leaves and areca nuts, pansupari

(Ce_tupu. Ce_tupala. 91); ta_mpu_lam-vai-ttal to invite to a wedding

by the distribution of betel; ta_mpu_la-ma_r-r-u-tal to settle a

marriage solemnly by exchanging betels; ta_mpu_la-valli betel pepper,

piper betle (Cu_t.a_.); ta_mpu_li id. ; ta_mpu_la-va_kakan- valet

employed to give betel and areca for chewing; ta_mpu_likan- betel

dealer (Ta.lex.) Image: leaf; betel leaf: tama_lam leaf (Ta.lex.) cf.

tamol, tamor betel leaf (H.)(CDIAL 5776).

http://www.hindunet.org/saraswati/Indian%20Lexicon/gift.htm

 

kuhali, kuhali_ betel leaf (Skt.); khili packet, roll (esp. of betel

leaf)(N.); khila_ leaf, betel leaf (A.); khili roll (esp. of betel)

(B.); khila bundle (Or.); khi_li_ betel leaf prepared for chewing (H.)

(CDIAL 3887). Roll: sirl- (silr-, silir-), sirlap- to rotate (Go.);

surul.i, surul.e, sural.i a coil, roll (Ka.); curul.al coil; curul.

roll, coil (Ta.)(DEDR 2684). Image: betel: kar-pu_rak-kot.i a kind of

betel (G.Sm.D. 215)(Ta.lex.) http://www.hindunet.org/saraswati/Indian%

20Lexicon/betel.htm

 

Kalyanaraman

 

Splendour of the Green Leaf

http://www.meadev.nic.in/photogallery/perspec/sept2001/splendour.htm

 

See also: The Tradition of Chewing Paan

 

http://www.indiaprofile.com/religion-culture/paanchewing.htm

 

http://basementshaman.com/pipbetbet.html

 

The essential Piper betle leaf oil is produced by steam distillation

from the leaves of Piper Betle, a vine of the pepper family. The

plant grows widely over the entire area between South Arabia and

Southeast China. Betel Leaf Oil is yellow to brown with an distinctly

phenolic, almost tar-like or smoky.

 

Is it the image of a betel leaf that is shown on exquisite epigraphs

of Sarasvati civilization, depicting nine leaves? Or, it is an

as'vattha (ficus religiosa) leaf?

 

http://www.hindunet.org/saraswati/munda/mundanine.htm

 

bari_ is a blacksmith (Ash.)(CDIAL 9464). ba_ru is betel in Bengali,

not far from the region of Santal Paraganas, and Munda-speaking

people. lo means 'nine' in Santali. loh means 'metal' in many

Bharatiya languages.

 

Kalyanaraman

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