Hukkahs, Chillums, Betel Boxes and Nutcrackers

Before the 17th century, when tobacco was introduced into India, smoking of hashish, cannabis, opium, etc, was a common practice. For smoking these, chillums or small pipes of terracotta, or of wood with clay lining, were used. Smoking a hukkah was an established practice by the end of the 17thcentury. A hukkah usually consists of a bowl for coal and tobacco, a central hollow shaft, a smoking pipe, and a base which is filled with water. As the smoker inhales, the smoke passes through the water and thus loses some of its nicotine content. Parts of hukkah and chillums were made of brass and other metals; silver covered hollow coconuts, clay, porcelain, etc. Some hukkah bases had fine inlay of one metal over another.

In all probability, the culture of eating paan or betel leaf already existed in India in the 3rd century A.D. Boxes for storing these were made of different materials and in various shapes and sizes. Those with perforations to allow fresh air to circulate and keep the leaves fresh came from almost all over India. Some were used for storing the various ingredients needed to prepare paan. Special containers called chunadani for storing chuna or lime chewed with pan or tobacco were made in exceptionally compact and beautiful forms in Maharashtra. A variety of betel boxes can be seen depicted in the medieval Rajput and Moghul miniature paintings. Nutcrackers of iron and brass (the cutting edge being always of iron) available in a charming variety of shapes and sizes, were made for cutting areca nut, a narcotic fruit growing along the coastal areas of India, to be chewed with or without paan. Nutcrackers were conceived in the shape of birds, animals, or amorous couples, with jingle bells attached for rhythmic sound or simply decorated with finely designed perforations.