Areca nut (सुपाड़ी)

The Areca nut is an integral part of the daily or ritualistic Pooja. The supari is symbolic of the nut of the ego that must be offered on the altar of God. It represents the hard, coarse qualities that must be surrendered to God, leaving only the soft, pure qualities. Mostly symbolic the Supari is many times traditionally represented as the Nine planets (in the Navgrah Pooja) and takes the form of Deities like Brahma, Surya and others during different Poojas. The betel nut can also represent a human being. In Maharashtra, the wife’s presence is a must at important religious rituals. But if she is away or dead, a betel nut wrapped in a cloth can represent her. In Bengal, betel nut is believed to carry magical properties. it is placed under the pillow at night so that the sleeping person can see his future in dreams.