We can all agree on one thing: Indians are big foodies! Whether it is ‘Kong Phirni’ from Kashmir or ‘Palokova’ from Tamil Nadu, sweets are integral parts of Indian traditions and heritage. India is a country with a rich heritage, where traditions and cultural significance drastically change from region to region.
Indian festival celebrations are generally derived from the regional culture, but Indian sweets also hold as much importance as cultural traditions. Ganesh Chaturthi is incomplete without the sweetness of Modak, and Holi celebrations are incomplete without sweet and crispy Gujiya. Every Indian sweet is considered an age-old tradition.
India’s Regional Confections
India is a country with many different regions, cultures, and a wide spread of cuisine. Indian confections are as important to us as our culture is. Every festival in India has special sweets associated with it.
Just as culture and traditions vary throughout India from region to region, confections also take on different flavors and fragrances. Whereas Kashmiris enjoy ‘Kong Phirni’, the same delicacy is enjoyed as ‘Shira’ with some alterations in Maharashtra and central India. Many sweets are famous and consumed throughout the continent with few changes in preparation and recipes.
However, South Indian sweets are prepared with heavy use of coconut, jaggery, rice, and pulses. Whether it is cardamom-flavoured Payasam or an iconic Mysore Pak or simplest Mishti Doi from West Bengal or Mohanthal from Gujarat or delicious soft and sweet Modak from Maharashtra, Indian sweets will never fail to leave you famished.
“Kuch meethaa ho jaaye” is mandatory for all of us as Indian sweets are not only considered as traditions but also as a sign of prosperity and happiness.
“Kuch Meethaa Ho Jaaye” is an Emotion for Us
There is no other country in the world with a vast variety of sweets, and we are wholeheartedly invested in it. Our festivals and celebratory occasions revolve around Indian sweets. No cap, but we enjoy our festivals and occasions for that sweet treat. That sneakily picked up ladoo from the mithaai box or the shared pedha with your grandma or homemade kheer by your mom on Dusshehara or when your sister spoonfed you Gulab Jamun on Bhai Dooj are the highlights of our memories and any celebrations or festivals.
From welcoming our guests to a parting gift, Indian sweets have always been the first choice. In India, from north to south, and west to east, Indian sweets are considered to express emotions like happiness, respect, and gratitude, and symbolize prosperity.
Sneak Peek from History
Not only rich culture, but we also have a millennium-old relationship with sweets. There is documentation stating that around 500 BC, we were the first to refine sugar, and by 300 BC, the sugar revolution reached a point where we processed five different kinds of sugars. Later, around the period of the Gupta Dynasty, sugar was not only made from sugarcane but also from palm. As India is also rich in resources and an abundance of items like jaggery, fruits, and honey, ancient Indian history is also fragmented with sweetened delicacies.
We follow age-old traditions such as offering sweets to our gods first, and then only are they consumed. Indian sweets are mainly made from milk and ghee, with wide variations found throughout the country. With the beginning of the Mughal era and the infusion of Persian influence, more milk-based confections found their place in Indian cuisine and hearts.
One of the oldest Sanskrit texts from the 12th century, ‘Manasollasa, mentions detailed preparations and recipes of the sweet delicacies of India. Even other ancient Indian texts, like the Rigveda, document the use of barley, ghee, and honey in the making of sweet cakes, likely a sweet delicacy from that time.
Surely the West has introduced machines and technology, but India has been serving and enjoying sweets till the heart is full for ages.
Indian Sweets as a Celebratory Symbol
Remember when your mom fed you a spoonful of ‘dahi shakkar’ on your first day of school, and when you had a mouthful bite of ‘Gujiya’ with your friends in between Holi celebrations? Or when you tried to steal a ‘Modak’ during Ganapati aarti in Ganesh Chaturthi festival?
Our core memories of any festival, celebration, or special occasion are sweetened with flavourful Indian confections. Sweets are considered a celebratory symbol and embodiment of prosperity, health, and happiness in life.
Last Bite on Indian Sweets
To put it simply, Indian sweets have been bussin’ for millennia, as they have been part of our every festival and celebration since childhood.
Indian confections are vital parts of Indian festivals and celebrations held throughout the nation. Symbolizing love, prosperity, togetherness, and happiness, Indian sweets are a cherished addition to a cuisine and an essential element for special occasions. Indian sweets sweeten our every festival and celebration, literally and metaphorically.