Signature Banarasi Paan attains World Cup flavour

Varanasi, Mar 12 (UNI) The signature Banarasi Paan, whose popularity spans the entire globe has ultimately capitulated before the soaring World Cup fever gripping the cricket crazy nation.

While Team India stars -- Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh -- will battle to elevate national pride in the Caribbeans, their namesake 'paans' will tickle the palates of the die-hard fans in this 'City of Paans.' A paan shop in the Pandeypur locality here has named its infectious offerings after Team India stars spanning from skipper Dravid and master blaster Tendulkar to elegant Ganguly, explosive Dhoni and flashy Yuvraj.

While the ever-popular 'Magahi paan' has been rechristened 'Sachin paan,' the cool Jagarnathi paan has been named 'Dravid Paan, and Sanchi Paan -- grown in West Bengal -- as 'Sourav Paan.' The list does not end here but also includes the special sweet paan containing rose petal paste named as 'Yuvraj Paan,' its ordinary variant as 'Irfan Pathan Paan' and the dark green paan as 'Dhoni Paan'.

The selection of off colour Virendra Sehwag among the Men in Blue also finds place in the scheme of things with the razor sharp 'Choona Paan' renamed as 'Sehwag Paan'.

''The choona paan, if not chewed carefully, can cut your mouth and keeping this in mind we have named it after unpredictable Sehwag who can destroy both his team as well as opponents in the Carribean,'' said Satya Narayan Gupta, the owner of the shop who has been in this business for the last 20 years.

While the sweet 'Yuvraj Paan' is the priciest at Rs five, the Sachin Paan priced at Rs two is the most demanded one. ''With paan lovers Magahi has always been an all time hit and this is why it has been named after the master blaster,'' he added.

The World Cup fever is not only visible in the plate of paans, but can be felt in the entire shop which has been painted in the Indian tri-colour and photographs of Team India players as well as other top cricketers featuring in the showpiece event. Even the 'paanwallah' does not forget to wear the bandana bearing the semblance of the national tri-colour while at work.

''It is my request to my customers to demand the paan by their new names,'' Mr Gupta said, promising free paans to all if India repeats its glorious performance in the 1983 World Cup.

UNI