51�Թ�

The water is poured in gourds and placed alongside five betel nuts and five betel leaves — four for the rivers and one for the sacred forest.

And a cheesecake tinged with the flavour of betel leaves nods to outside influence.

Paan, a betel nut leaf with slaked lime, rose petal jam and mouth fresheners like cardamom and cloves, has fascinated South Asians for centuries.

There's no anxiety that chewing on a betel nut cannot soothe.

The corridors smelled of urine, garbage and medical waste, and hospital walls were stained with betel leaf spit.