The Weekend Market in Thimphu
There is a large outdoor weekend market in the capital,
Thimphu, where locals buy grains, cheese, and vegetables. There are also
stalls selling inexpensive ritual objects and souvenirs for
tourists.
This old man makes and sells paan, a mixture of lime paste and
betel nut wrapped up in a leaf, that is chewed as a mild intoxicant and
digestive. It stains the teeth a bright red and causes gum deterioration
and mouth cancer. The chewing of betel nut is common throughout southeast
Asia, extending as far east as Papua New Guinea. While the Bhutanese
authorities have been successful at controlling cigarette smoking, they
have had no luck in their attempts to eliminate this health menace.
Photo taken: April 13, 2003
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