DEAR SWEETS OF JAIPUR

 

It's that time of the year when India's tooth is at its sweetest. All over the country, people are eating and gifting sweets. But this year, Jaipur, which has always been known for its sweets, has zoomed into limelight and exclusivity by producing perhaps the most expensive sweet ever made, at least in India. It has been created by Anjali Jain, founder of Tyohaar Sweet House in Vaishali Nagar, Jaipur, and is named 'Swarn Prasadam'. Its price, Rs. 1,11,000 (about USD 1200) per Kg. or Rs. 3000 per piece. Oh dear!

What makes it so expensive? Its basic ingredient is 'chilgoza' or pine nut, one of the most costly nuts in the world, blended with saffron and edible gold dust, crafted like a jewel and packed in a jewellery box. 

For less money, you can indulge in 'Swarn (gold) Bhasma Bharat' at Rs. 1950 or 'Chandi (silver) Bhasma Bharat' at Rs. 1150 per piece. There is also the 'Pataka Thaal' full of sweets made from cashewnuts and shaped like firecrackers resembling bombs, anaars, chakris and diyas.

Jaipur sweets have always been dear to me in the loveable sense of the word but it was inevitable that growth, progress and desire to be unique and creative would make the sweets dear in the other meaning of the word. The first sweet I remember enjoying soon after moving to Jaipur in 1950 was the Jalebi which Pitaji, my Nana, would send for every Sunday for breakfast, fresh from -where else!- Jalebi Chowk near the famous Hawa Mahal. Mataji, my Nani, for 'bhog' offering to gods at home, would get Kalakand and Misri Mawa from a 'halwai' in Gopalji Ka Raasta straight from the 'kadhai'. Another sweet we were very fond of was the milk cake from Chawla Sweets which had a distinct caramel like taste not available in milk cakes from other sources.

Later on, I discovered Delhi Mishthan Bhandar opposite the old Prem Prakash (now Golcha) cinema hall near the southern end of Chaura Raasta. My favourite was a sweet the name of which I forget which was like a juicy ’balushahi’ topped with dollops of cream. Next to that shop, Sarvesh Mamaji, son of Mataji’s brother, opened a restaurant, Paradise, and treated all relatives including me and friends for free. Needless to say he soon went into red and had to close Paradise!

The love affair with Jaipur sweets continues with some changes necessitated by passage of time. We miss the milk cake from Chawla's as the shop closed at the onset of Covid and never opened again. Gopalji Ka Rasta has lost its shine in competition with big shops like Laxmi Mishthan Bhandar. Jalebi Chowk is now more famous for ladies clothing than jalebis.

But there are other old timers that have survived and blossomed despite modern glitz. Bhagat Sweet House near Chhoti Chaupar continues to be known for its unique brown laddoos made out of 'besan' and milk. A small narrow lane off Johari Bazaar, Gheewalon Ka Rasta, boasts of two tiny shops which prepare sweets in the morning and are sold out by the afternoon. One produces first rate Misri Mawa and Gulab Sakri with distinctive rose flavour. The second makes the traditional Ghewar, the typical Jaipur sweet that resembles a honeycomb and you can have it dipped in syrup with the amount of sugar as required by you.

We look forward to each visit to Jaipur to replenish our stock of sweets. Hopefully, Swarn Prasadam will not be too dear a sweet for us.

Happy Diwali. Indulge!