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Chocolates and cakes challenge traditional sweets
by Sunil
Sharma
Chandigarh/Amritsar:
As a growing number of people in the cities prefer
giving chocolates and cakes as gifts on Diwali festival,
many traditional sweets are being replaced. Many confectioners
say that the recent trends have proved to be a boon
for bakers. One such shop is of Nik Baker's in Chandigarh
who are keeping busy these days cashing in the festive
mood ahead of Diwali. Nikhil Mitta, owner of the Nik
Baer’s IK BAKER'S, said: “I see a big change. People
used to buy a lot of sweets last year, now they have
shifted to chocolates and cakes. People don’t relish
much Indian traditional `mithai'. “A Lot of people
are giving chocolate as a Diwali gift like dry cakes,
fruit cakes and plum cakes,” he added. The traditionalists
deny the new charm for chocolates or cookies can ever
replace the traditional sweets. The optimism is based
on the fact that for centuries, Diwali celebration
have been known for enjoying traditional sweets prepared
at local shops by families. The traditional sweets
hold their own charm among the masses. The traditional
sweets usually contain plenty of clarified butter
and sugar, popular brands like the Sindhi's and Nathu's
are offering sugar-free varieties, using artificial
sweeteners. Parents and children relish sweets after
offering the first piece to the Lord Ganesha and Goddess
Lakshmi after worshipping their idols. Abhishek Bajaj
of the Sindhi Sweets in Chandigarh, said: “On Diwali,
people meet their loved ones and colleagues at the
work place with warmth and give Indian traditional
sweets. It has been a part of the celebrations. It
could be that chocolates have come into fashion but
the traditional sweets hold their own significance.”
In Amritsar, traditional sweet shops are full of sweets
boxes to be delivered on Diwali. Shopkeepers like
Amarchand and Sons and Kanhiya Sweets are busy preparing
their popular ‘Besan Ladoos' and `Pinnis', the special
Indian sweets, to supply it to local residents and
also to non-resident Indians abroad. Avinish Sharma
of the Amarchand and Sons in Amritsar, says: Since
few years gifts items have become popular during Diwali,
but the trend is fading away slowly. The demand for
traditional sweets is on rise. Any occasion is incomplete
without sweets. The tradition of sweets during Diwali
will last forever. Be it chocolates, cakes or traditional
Indian sweets – India lives with its rich tradition
of exchanging sweets during Diwali.
-Oct
20, 2008
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