It’s no secret that Diwali is a season of excesses. People decorate their homes, exchange gifts, host grand parties, and all in the spirit of lavish festivities. Since food is one of the core pillars of the season, it stands to reason that the sweets of the day should follow suit. But how would you feel about paying Rs. 21,000 for a kilo of sweets?
For residents of Ahmedabad, this is an option as the reputation of the ‘Swarna Mudra’ sweet gains momentum. The main cause behind the high cost is the coating of 24-carat gold over the mithai making it look every bit as luxurious as the price tag suggests. Made by the Gwalia SBR outlet, this sweet is loaded with blueberries, almonds, pistachios and cranberries and despite going for Rs.1,400 per piece, it’s reportedly being sold out.
Image Credit: chappanbhog.com
But this isn’t a standalone phenomenon, it seems like sweet shops across the country are pushing the boundaries of luxury this year as a few weeks ago, a shop in Lucknow pulled a similar stunt. The store, Chhappan Bhog, revealed a masterpiece they called, ‘Exotica’. A sweet loaded up with fruits and nuts sourced from all over the world and of course, covered in a layer of 24-carat gold. At Rs. 2,000 for four pieces, the price wasn’t quite on the same scale as the Swarna Mudra, but it’s definitely enough, especially for those buying the 100-piece boxes at Rs. 50,000.
It seems like this Diwali, sweets are more than just tasty treats or friendly gifts, they’re also evolving into a status symbol and with the rise in popularity of these gold-plated mithai, we expect this isn’t the last one you’ve seen this season.