Every home has its unique Diwali traditions. Whether it is the way they plan to light up their house or make traditional sweets and snacks for the festive season, Diwali usually brings every member of a family closer to celebrate. While the customs of preparing handmade sweets and snacks on Diwali was being followed for a long time, there has been a recent shift to artisanal chocolates, store-bought sweets, and luxury boxes to gift friends and family. To get an inner scoop, Slurrp interviewed North Indians who still make Diwali treats with their hands. Read on to know some of the heartwarming stories of their cosy Diwali traditions.
Sugandh Thapar
26-year-old CA, Gurgaon
What are your fondest memories of making sweets on Diwali?
The fondest of memories I have is when my mother used to make besan ke laddu filled with dry fruits for all of us during the auspicious occasion of Diwali. We generally made the laddus and sweets when the Diwali festivities began and marked the start of the winter season. I mostly remember making these dry fruit-filled laddus and sweets with my mother and trying to give the perfect round shape to the laddus, as it took a lot of time to prepare the mixture for the laddus. It is, to date, one of my favourite bonding times with my mother.
Did you usually gift homemade sweets to friends and relatives during Diwali?
Generally, we do not gift homemade sweets to our friends and relatives on Diwali, but now, with me baking cookies and brownies, I think it’s time to bring back the culture of gifting homemade goodies to our dear friends but with homemade cookies and brownies. That’s my way of giving the traditional gifting a baker’s twist.
How has the availability of gifting boxes influenced Diwali gifting?
In my opinion, people generally are more attracted towards designer gifting boxes as they look beautiful and also have, as we say in our families, kuch meetha for tyohar), so I guess it’s just a more convenient option these days.
Do you think artisanal chocolates and premium boxes have replaced traditional sweets?
Yes, people are more likely to gift pre-packaged sweets and dry fruits as, in this fast-paced life, we no longer have time to make homemade items.
Do you think the tradition of making sweets at home for Diwali will survive or fade away?
I don’t think this tradition of making homemade sweets is going to fully fade away as people like me will always be there, and they would like to cook and bake for their loved ones during these beautiful festivals. But it is definitely tricky to get back to the traditional ways in which everyone used to make sweets for these festivals.
Anshul Johar
52-year-old doctor, Punjab
What are your fondest memories of making sweets on Diwali?
It has been a custom in our house to make sweets like Shakarpara, Namakpara, salty Mattar, and Khasta Maththi on the eve of Diwali. It has been going on since as early as I can remember, and I still love this tradition today. It is always a festival feeling when all the family members gather and contribute towards making such items in the kitchen. Every year, when we started making, my mother used to find her recipe diary to weigh the ingredients accurately. It was an annual affair, and she would never remember the composition. Then we would weigh Maida, Oil, Kali Mirch, Salt, etc. After weighing these, we make a maida dough mixed with various masalas by kneading it in warm water and oil. Oil is kept on the burner for heating.
To make Maththis, we take the dough in small quantities, make Pedas, and roll them into small circular disks. After the disks are ready, we fry them in hot oil and keep them in until a light brown colour is achieved. Then these maththis are taken out with a sieved Jharni and kept to drain for a while. Once the extra oil is drained out, the Maththis are ready to eat. However, my mother would not allow me to eat from the whole lot. She would keep some for eating then and rest after Diwali Pooja. Similarly, the dough is prepared for other items, except the Shakarparas. The dough of the Shakarparas normally does not contain any salt, and after frying, it is immersed in sugar syrup. These are constantly stirred and made ready to eat when cool.
When all the family members contributed, as the youngest, the work allotted to me was minimal. All I used to do was to punch holes in Maththis with a knitting needle. My mother would knead the dough, my sister would roll disks, and my father would take care of the frying job. We would praise one’s own work while showing it off to others. It took almost half a day for the process to complete.
Did you usually gift homemade sweets to friends and relatives during Diwali?
We gift these sweets to friends and relatives during Diwali. We try not to purchase sweets from the market during Diwali days and prefer to eat and distribute these homemade sweets only. Everyone eating these would praise eating such nice sweets and namkeens.
How has the availability of gifting boxes influenced Diwali gifting?
The prepackaged designer gifting boxes are not our choice in the first place. These boxes containing biscuits, chocolates, sweets and namkeens often contain plenty of preservatives and were packed months ago. Moreover, such items are sold at much higher prices than normal.
Do you think artisanal chocolates and premium boxes have replaced traditional sweets?
The newer generation has resorted to such items because they do not have the time and expertise to prepare such homemade sweets. They have resorted to alternatives such as pre-packed sweets, dry fruit gift packs, etc. This way, they are trying to continue the legacy of Diwali gifting. Still, they are losing the warmth of cooking together in a family and the cosiness they could get while working with other family members.
Do you think the tradition of making sweets at home for Diwali will survive or fade away?
The tradition of cooking sweets at home has come down to an extent, but I suppose it won’t die off. This is because tradition has already been passed on from our ancestors and is being passed on to younger generations. Apart from being a tasty and healthy choice, the tradition encompasses building stronger family bonds and enjoying the same experiences while working as a family. It creates a healthy environment for young and old people.