[2][3] It is mainly cultivated in the Varanasi, Jaunpur, Chandauli, Ballia, Ghazipur, Azamgarh, Mirzapur, and Sonbhadra districts of Uttar Pradesh.
[8] Banaras Pan is renowned for its high-quality leaves, which are rich in tannins and have a distinctive taste ranging from sweet to pungent due to the presence of essential oils.
The primary customers are those who prepare paan, mainly large-scale "Paanwari" from Varanasi and surrounding districts, including Bhadohi, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Prayagraj, Chandauli, and Mirzapur.
According to Hindu mythology, the betel plant is considered extremely auspicious, believed to have originated from the divine elixir produced during the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthana).
The filling typically includes chopped betel nut, slaked lime (chuna) and red katha paste made from the khair tree (Acacia catechu).
[19][20] "Khayike Paan Banaras Wala" is a classic song featuring Amitabh Bachchan from the 1978 film "Don".
[24][25] Department of Horticulture and Food Processing, Government of Uttar Pradesh and Namami Gange Farmer Producer Company Limited from Varanasi, proposed the GI registration of 'Banaras Pan (Betel Leaf)'.