Reminiscent of the past: Tale of a khaandaani paandaan

Enclosed in a betel leaf is an array of traditions and culture.

ISLAMABAD: Noor Jehan’s mesmerising classics from the 80s plays in the background. Safiullah sits majestically in his resplendent Mughal attire and reaches out to fetch a variety of colorful ingredients from the biggest dome-shaped paandaan (betel-leaf box) in South Asia. 

After putting katha, gulkand — sweetener made from rose petals and sugar, grated coconut and sugar coated fennel seeds on a betel leaf, he hands the sweet and spicy stuffed paan to a customer, who is flowered with rose petals as he walks towards the exit of Melody Food Park.

“We not only sell paan but are also promoting our traditions by displaying the cultural diversity of all provinces in Pakistan” said 26-year-old Safiullah, who was adopted as an infant by Rana Ashraf, the founder of ‘Shahi Paandaan Walay’.

Sweet smelling saffron and rose-water scent emanates from the glittering shop, which is somewhat like a miniaturised museum displaying life in Pakistan and attracts a wide array of customers visiting the food court. Mughal-style pitchers and paintings are showcased in the spacious corner-shop, numerous figurines; some dressed up as national leaders such as Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Fatima Jinnah while others curdling milk and spinning yarn sitting on a charpoy.  A lone stuffed parrot is perched atop a mud-house gazing at the boutique of Pakistani culture and symbols of nationalism.

“We launched this paandaan in 1997 on Pakistan’s golden jubilee and it has a capacity to store ingredients enough to prepare 5,000 paans” said Rana Ashraf, the owner who is originally from Lahore and has been in this business for over four decades now. “My sons and nephews also work with me and we operate a paan joint in Dam-e-koh as well.  It attracts a lot of foreign as well as domestic tourists” he added.



Safiullah folds one betel-leaf after another, adding ingredients according to every customer’s requirements and taste. The enchanting aura is such that one almost expects a Mughal prince to walk around the corner with his entourage to order some paan.

“Our primary interest is to entertain people and show the positive side of Pakistan,” said Safiullah. “Our people are hospitable and welcoming. That’s the Pakistan we want to promote,” he added.

Passionate about heritage, Rana Ashraf, his sons and nephews not only stitch their Mughal-inspired dresses themselves but also wear them all year round.  “The tailors nowadays are not experienced enough to stitch dresses having such intricate designs and complex cuts” he said.

Figurines dressed up in cultural dresses spinning yarn and curdling milk welcome customers at the shop in Melody Park. PHOTO: HUMA CHODHRY/ EXPRESS

“We also make our own katha and gulkand using quality ingredients” said Tasleem, Safiullah’s brother, who takes turns with him in attending the paan joint. He further expressed that all their products were chemical-free.

Ashraf feels saddened that culture nowadays is only limited to music and that too pop music. “We want to imbibe in our youth the richness of our festivities and history so that they can pass it on to their posterity” he said.

Rana Ashraf proudly informed that in recognition of his contributions, Shani Paandaan Walay had previously been nominated for Sitara-e-Imtiaz by the Ministry of Culture.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2014.