• A simple listing of what sweets Indians gift during Deepavali. It covers from Bhuj in West to Tripura in Northeast and Punjab to Tamil Nadu. Interesting insights.

An old friend called a few days before Deepavali and told me that since it was her first Diwali post wedding, she proposed to gift sweets to twenty-one of her colleagues. She wanted to customise the sweet but the problem was they belonged to different parts of India. So, she asked for guidance.   

I did not have a readymade answer but messages friend across India. Here is what they told me. I do not claim to know all. Happy to make additions and edits. Format is region/city followed by sweet name. What is in inverted commas are quotes of a friend.

1. Kolkata -Rasgullas.

2. Jamshedpur -Besan Laddu, Dry Fruits, Anjeer Dry fruit Rolls, Sondesh and Kalakand.

3. Assam – PLEASE HELP. 

4. Tripura –“Root craft handicraft showpiece with unique Tripureswari Matabari Pera of Udaipur, Gomti district.  This is a gift item. Pera is Prasad of Mata Tripureswari that has a unique in taste.”

5. Odisha -“Diwali is a Shradh for Odias. We burn jute stems, invoke our fore fathers and offer sweet Pitha and Kheer. With popular culture, we celebrate too. It is not an auspicious occasion to celebrate. We do not do any new or good things on this day of Amavasya.” 

6. Jammu -Dry Fruits more popular than sweets.

7. Amritsar -Desi Ghee Pinni and Patisa.

8. Delhi -Kaju Katli, Motichur Ladoo, Anjer Barfi.

9. Agra – Spoke to Bhagat Sweets, in business since 1795. Said highest selling items are Dry fruit Sweets, Kaju Katli and Bundi Ladoo (motichur). 

10. Lucknow –I spoke to Ram Asrey who said what sells maximum are Mixed sweets, Malai Ghilori/Pan, Lal Peda, Ram Asrey is a popular shop, established 1805. Malai Pan sounds unique.

11. Patna – Ladoo or Mixed bag of sweets during Diwali. The main festival in Bihar is Chhat Puja that comes few days after Diwali. Then, homemade Chhat Prasad is given.

“In my growing years, sweets were concentrated on home-made scourges like Gujhiya (this is called different names in different parts of the state).”  

12. Gwalior- any sweets given on Diwali for e.g. Gujiya, Kaju Katli, Gulbjamun, During Sankranti give Teel (sesame) sweets.

13. Bhopal –Milk Cake, Motichur Ladoo, Anjeer Barfi and Kaju Katli. Another view from health conscious younger generation is Dry Fruits and Healthy Snacks. 

I understand that Ghewar and Pheeni are the most popular sweets of Rajasthan. Sharing city variations.

14. Jaipur -Kaju Katli, Mohan Thal is a form of Besan Barfi.

15. Jodhpur -Ghewar.

Marwar- “During Deepavali, in the Marwar region, every household prepares Moongthaal, also known as Began ki chakki, and Dal-Badam chakki. These sweets are preferred because they have a long shelf life. This is part of tradition. It is good for gifting purpose as well.”

16. Udaipur -I spoke to the owner of JMB Sweets, Surajpole, Udaipur since it was highly recommended by a friend. He said maximum sweets bought during Diwali are Sangam Barfi, Kaju Patisa, Horlicks Barfi, Gond Pak, Mava Mysore. Good write up on Rajasthan on JMB site caught my attention.

17. Amdavad - Mostly Kaju Katli.  “The original tradition was to exchange home- made sweets (ghughro, thorl, mohantharl etc.) and farsan (mathiya, puri etc.). Now, most of it is contracted out.” 

Another view –“In Ahmedabad it was Kaju Katli, Milk Peda, Mysurpak, Sukhdi Mukhwas Dabba.”

18. Bhuj, Kutch – Gulab Pak. 

19. Mumbai – Kaju Katli/Besan Laddo/Anjeer Barfi. Visit Tiwaris Opera House.

20. Nagpur – Besides the usual Nagpur special is Santra Barfi. I was told that Shree Heera Sweets is one of the more reputed shops.  

21. Pune -Kaju Katli, Besan Ladoo, Chitale Bandhu, Deccan is my to go store.

22. Bengaluru - Mysore Pak.

23. Chennai – Pal Tertipal. Another pal said Mysore Pak, Soan Papdi and regular Laddus, not motichur. 

24. Kerala – the tradition of gifting sweets during Diwali is catching on. A Chennai based Malyali says Kerala is not much into Sweets. It is about Payasam.

A local wrote, “We have Tamil influence also, especially in border sharing districts. Hence, UKKARAI is the main item that we Tamil Brahmins make. It is available with sweet stalls. Others buy. Ladoo, Maaladoo, Rava ladoo, Jalebi, Mysorepak, Boli, Halwa, Badhusha, Peda, Rava kesari. To digest, all these, Inchilehyam (a ginger based item), Paayasam (kheer) will be part of the lunch menu. It will not be a big spread.”

25. Hyderabad – Kaju Katli.

26. Since Sindhis do not have a State going by community name.

A friend wrote four sweets popular namely Sev Barfi, Gheeyar (big jalebi which we exchange during Holi), Pragrree (same Holi time) and Mitho lolo (thick sweet atta roti).

Another friend wrote popular Sindhi sweets are Sev Barfi, Gheeyar, Tosha, Malpua, Churi and Meetha Lola.

Sev Barfi is common to both lists.

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