Betel nut box (pandan)

Containers like this for storing betel chewing ingredients are called pandans in India. Indian kings chewed betel in court to demonstrate capacity for unbiased judgement, while the offering of a royal pandan was considered a sign of great favour. Upper and middle class families offered betel to their guests after meals or before departure as a sign of hospitality.Hunting scenes are the major part of the elaborate decoration of this pandan. It opens up to reveal a gilded interior with five small compartments. The double fish insignia on the clasp suggests that it was owned by a member of the Lucknow aristocracy.

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Betel nut box