Snuff taking in India?

1

The large number of Indian snuffs available from Mister Snuff made me wonder about snuff taking in India. I never saw anyone do it when I was there, but perhaps I wasn’t looking. I did google and found some reference to Hindu/Vedic purity laws: the Brahmin caste in particular apparently have a very strong taboo about putting something in your mouth, taking it out, then putting it back in, it’s considered almost the same as eating excrement. Anyway, it rules out cigarettes and most other forms of smoking. Of course, snuff wouldn’t be a problem, so apparently the Brahmins can use it. Anyone know anything more? Anyone actually come across snuff in India?

1 Like
2

According to @sixphoto, snuff is very popular but most people use it orally.

3

As i have mentioned earlier in this forum snuff taking is indeed very popular in India and the tradition dates back to the early 20th century when the first snuff unit in Giddarbaha in North India was established. Nowadays you may not come across many people using snuff in public for the simple reason that it is mostly used as a dentifrice in bathrooms.

4

@sixphoto, do you happen to know anything more about that, then? Is it North or South? Any particular castes or classes that use it? Have you heard the thing about it being popular amongst Brahmins? And, on a more practical matter, where would you get it in India? I guess printing out a Dholakia label from the internet and wandering around the markets asking might get you what you wanted in the end.

5

@JakartaBoy or a 6 Photo label :smiley:

6

@jakartaboy you can buy it here: http://www.aroraproduct.com/retailshop.html

7

Nowadays you may not come across many people using snuff in public for the simple reason that it is mostly used as a dentifrice in bathrooms.

You mean: ?

8

The creamy snuff paste is also a popular product but being a costly item ($ 2 to 3 ) is used only by a small segment of customers. The moist or dry nasal snuff is comparitively cheaper and is used as a dentifrice by majority of the consumers

9

Wow. I didn’t know. Does using snuff that way affects on teeth?