Sarota - Betel nut Cutter from Rajasthan - 19th Century Material - Jichimu The polished marble surface enhances

The polished marble surface enhances the precision of the carving

Examples of similar works were featured at a special exhibition entitled

Rare to find original Prayer Wheels these days

This isn't an antique

Sarota - Betel nut Cutter from Rajasthan - 19th Century Material - Jichimu The polished marble surface enhancesThis antique Indian sarota, or betelnut cutter is a cross between scissors and nutcrackers. They're used to shave slivers from the areca (betel) nut which was then mixed with spices and wrapped in betel leaves to make paan. Paan was a stimulant chewed for its psychoactive effects. This simple iron sarota dates to the 19th century. Many sarota were produced in Kutch, Gujarat which was a hub for production. They are fun to collect as they are so diverse