For many Gujaratis, Diwali memories are closely tied to the elaborate spread of homemade sweets and savouries
Jyotika Patel, a 72-year-old resident of Ghatlodia, says changing lifestyles, health concerns and fewer visitors have altered how families prepare for Diwali. Because they know what goes into them,” she said, many now prefer traditional Gujarati sweets prepared at home. Because there’s hardly any time to prepare the delicacies at home, “Nowadays, people buy almost everything ready-made.
But that takes away the fun of making it,” she says. Dipti Bhatt, a homemaker from Satellite who runs a Gujarati meals and snacks business, said she prepares traditional Diwali delicacies every year. I always tell them that the secret ingredient that makes Diwali treats special is the love and festive spirit that go into making them,” says Patel.
The family recipe Jalpa Rajgor, a resident of Khadia in Ahmedabad, learned to prepare traditional Diwali delicacies from her mother-in-law. Among these is ghughra, a half-moon-shaped sweet that is a fixture on Diwali platters. “Ghughra is a staple in our household. the real skill lies in creating its trademark pleated or twisted edges, which seal its half-moon shape While it is relatively simple to make. These days, some people use the mould, in which they simply place the puri and the filling to get the shape right. The dishes may vary from one region to another, but the tradition of making Diwali treats at home continues in many families. These delicacies are served to friends and relatives who drop by to exchange greetings on the Gujarati New Year, a day after Diwali. For some, concerns over food adulteration are now another reason to turn to homemade treats. Members of the Padh family at Haja Patel ni Pol in Ahmedabad have prepared traditional delicacies at home “Mathiya, farsi puri and suvali have always been Diwali staples. But with all the news about food adulteration, people are becoming more cautious about buying milk- and paneer-based products. Not everyone is sticking to old favourites. Mohanthal is making way for baklava, while ghughra and chakri are increasingly being replaced by options such as makhana. For health reasons, sweets are often kept only for the Diwali puja. But I still make chakri and ghughra for my grandchildren. And perhaps that is why these old recipes continue to find a place in home kitchens. Even as festive menus change and ready-made treats become the easier choice, many families still prepare their traditional favourites, holding on to the flavours, memories and little rituals that make Diwali special.
