The Beedi Maker . . .

Beedi maker plus a "Kalamezhuthu "artists from my village ..
A beedi is a thin, often flavored, South Asian cigarette made of tobacco wrapped in a tendu (or temburini; Diospyros melonoxylon) leaf, and secured with colored thread at one end. Beedies, though smaller than regular cigarettes, produce three times more carbon monoxide and nicotine, and five times more tar.[1] Tobacco content in beedies is 10-20% and, unlike regular cigarettes, beedies do not contain added chemicals.[citation needed] Like all tobacco products, use can cause various cancers.

Beedi-rolling is a cottage industry in India and is typically done by women in their homes. The process of rolling a beedi is similar to that of a handmade cigarette.

Beedis vary accordingly by their size. Beedi tobacco consists of three different tobaccos; each has its own characteristic.The tobacco is brought from different states and each has its own blend. For example, for a strong tobacco flavor, tobacco from the state of Gujarat is preferred. For a more mellow flavor tobacco from Nipani (karnataka)is suitable, and to help the beedies retain the fire for longer CHOOR from Mysore is used. Once the beedies are rolled they are kept in a specially designed oven to ensure good flavor and to remove any moisture. Due to the relatively low cost of Beedies compared to regular cigarettes, they have long been popular among the poor in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and India. In India, 850 billion are smoked every year.(Courtesy WikiPedia )