Betel-nut chewing, which originated in ancient India, spread throughout southeast Asia and the Pacific along trade routes. The habit is equivalent to the chewing of tobacco in that it is an addictive stimulant, and generates a quantity of saliva. Betel-chewing stains the mouth, gum, teeth and lip dark red, and causes tooth decay. The practice of betel-chewing entails a ritualized preparation of ingredients. A betel leaf (from the pan plant) is smeared with burnt lime paste (limestone or calcium hydroxide), and folded around a slice of betel-nut (the nut or seed of the areca palm, boiled and dried) along with cloves, cardamom seeds, ginger, fennel seeds and/or tobacco. Sometimes the outer wrapping is eliminated. Either with or without the leaf, the betel nut-lime-spice mixture is chewed and sucked on for several hours. The betel chew is often served after a meal because it acts as a breath freshener, digestive and antacid. Not surprisingly, a quantity of specialized utensils (such as cutters and boxes) have been produced for betel-nut-chewing. Two styles of boxes are on view here. The small covered box decorated with a peacock finial is a familiar type of household article. The oblong openwork cases are portable, and would probably have been worn suspended from the belt. The large central chamber, its openwork recalling jali window panels, held betel nuts. A smaller divided chamber at one end held lime and other spices. These were applied to the cut nuts with the small spatulas dangling from the chains. The dome-shaped end caps recall the umbrella-shaped tops of Hindu pavilions (chattris), which were erected throughout the country as memorials to individuals, families or events, and also became a distinguishing feature of Indian architecture.