Betel box (Pandan) from Mughal Era in India Preserved at National Museum of New Delhi “Comparative Artistic Study&First Published”

Abstract

The subject matter research is a metal masterpiece published for the first time. Betel Boxes, or Pandan, are unique metal boxes made for preserving a mixture of betel leaves with other additives like areca, tobacco and nuts. The box being analyzed here, preserved at the National Museum of New Delhi in India, is one of many metal boxes that were common in the Mughal era, and many of these boxes are now found in various international museums and private collections. This metal box is particularly intriguing to study because this will be the first published study, there is a lack of scientific studies dealing with this types of boxes in general, and to have an overall understanding of the industrial and decorative techniques used in making these boxes in contrast to other metal boxes with similar functions. Four aspects of this particular betel box will be the focus of this study; first, its description, second, defining the term Pandan or Betel in light of its function, third, the craftsmanship /aesthetic, and fourth, a comparative study with other similar metal boxes preserved in international museums.

Keywords

• pandan
• mughal
• box
• silver
• brass
• enamel