Naya Nepal Naya Blog

Octogenarian leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, known by his near ones as Kishunji, is a celebrated name in Nepali politics. But, there is one more trait of him which makes him famous among his fellow leaders — his love for betel leaf (Paan).

According to Ameeta Kapaali, Bhattarai’s care taker, he chews three to four paans even these days. This is five times less than his earlier intake, all due to poor health. “He used to have 15 to 16 paans a day,” says Kaapali.

Since his health does not allow him to visit paan shops, Kaapali says she orders plain betel leaf usually from Pulchowk and prepare it hygienically at home.

Bhattarai’s love for paan has linked him with the sellers of paan too. His most frequently visited paan shop is at New Baneshor where he used to order paan until a year ago. The shop “Shree Ram Paan Bhandar” which has been running for 25 years now was Bhattarai’s preference even before the restoration of democracy in 1990. He used to visit a paan shop at New Road also which has now shifted from its spot.

“I remember him chatting with me for two hours before he had to attend a secret program during the Panchayat Regime. I was proud to have such a reputed personality as my regular customer,” said Shiva Narayan Shah, the shop owner.

According to Shah, Bhattarai’s favorite flavour was Maghai Patta, a flavour which uses small leaves of light-green colour, with tobacco. When the Nepali Congress party office was at New Baneshwor, he used to visit the shop at around 8:30 every Saturday. On other days, he used to come there as many times as he passed by. After he became Prime Minister of the interim government in 1990 and elected government in 1999, he used to come to the place on a vehicle and usually sent his security guard to the shop to get paan for him.

“Maghai patta become famous among others due to Bhattarai’s preference for it,” Shah said.

Sources say that Bhattrai is a paan addict right from his teens. When he was in jail, many of his friends used to take paan for him during visiting hours. “Many of his friends used to come with paan to meet him. Sometimes even the jail staffs used to get betel nut and leaves for him,” said Nepali Congress leader Ram Jeevan Singh, who was with Bhattarai in Nakhhu Jail for seven years (1973-1980).

Bhattarai was admitted to hospital last month after he had congestive heart failure and pneumonia.