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Teej times: Of ghewar and festivity

Jul 31, 2022 11:22 AM IST

New Delhi The sight of ghewar making its way to the sweet shops of Delhi is one to behold for any dilliwalah

New Delhi

From mini ghewar in flavours such as kaju cream, to all time faves such as malai ghewar, kesar ghewar, chocolate ghewar and rose ghewar, there’s ample variety to explore in the bylanes of Old Delhi. (Photo: Shantanu Bhattacharya/HT)
From mini ghewar in flavours such as kaju cream, to all time faves such as malai ghewar, kesar ghewar, chocolate ghewar and rose ghewar, there’s ample variety to explore in the bylanes of Old Delhi. (Photo: Shantanu Bhattacharya/HT)

The sight of ghewar making its way to the sweet shops of Delhi is one to behold for any dilliwalah. This melt-in-your-mouth dessert’s flavour gets enhanced by absorbing moisture, and is typically associated with the month of saawan. It is also an essential component of Hariyali Teej, which is being celebrated today.

Relish the Babbar ghewar at Shyam Sweets, Chawri Bazar. (Photo: Shantanu Bhattacharya/HT)
Relish the Babbar ghewar at Shyam Sweets, Chawri Bazar. (Photo: Shantanu Bhattacharya/HT)

From mini ghewar in flavours such as kaju cream, to all time faves such as malai ghewar, kesar ghewar, chocolate ghewar and rose ghewar, there’s ample variety to explore in the bylanes of Old Delhi. At Shyam Sweets, Chawri Bazar, chef Brijesh Sharma sits on the fourth floor with a pot full of piping ghee, making over 100 pieces of ghewar in a day. His speciality, the babbar ghewar, is a large variant of the sweet. It is approximately 18 to 24 inches. “I am making these for 25 years now. Babbar ghewar mein paani use nahin hota hain, doodh se banta hai,” he tells us.

Take your pick from malai ghewar, kesar ghewar, chocolate ghewar or rose ghewar at Kanwarji Sweets, Chandni Chowk. (Photo: Shantanu Bhattacharya/HT)
Take your pick from malai ghewar, kesar ghewar, chocolate ghewar or rose ghewar at Kanwarji Sweets, Chandni Chowk. (Photo: Shantanu Bhattacharya/HT)

Talking about how the sweet is finding more takers this year, owner Sanjay Aggarwal, says, “We also make sugar-free ghewar on order. Iss saal toh orders bahut zyada hai Covid-19 ke baad.” Similarly, Bharat Aggarwal, co-owner, Shyam Sweets, says, “Do saal baad log nikal paa rahe hain. Log ache se festival enjoy karna chah raha hain.” And at Chaina Ram Sindhi Halwai, in Chandni Chowk, Sunny Gidwani, managing partner says demand for malai and lal doodh ghewar is at an all-time-high.

Talking about the increase in price this year due to inflated rates of ingredients such as refined ghee and wheat, Krishna, salesman from Rewari Sweets in Gurugram, says, “We have khoya ghewar, chocolate ghewar, and kesar ghewar at 480-520/kg. Pichle saal se rate badha hai is baar.”

Malai ghewar and kesar ghewar are the top favourites at Evergreen Sweets, New Friends Colony. While fancy ghewars are the top choice at Kanwarji Sweets in Chandni Chowk. “Our fancy ghewars at 100/piece are really famous. We have the malai pista ghewar at 1,600/kg, chocolate ghewar at 800/kg and kesar ghewar at 880/kg,” shares Gaurav Mishra from Kanwarji’s.

For mehendiwalas stationed here, Teej means more sales. (Photo: Shantanu Bhattacharya/HT)
For mehendiwalas stationed here, Teej means more sales. (Photo: Shantanu Bhattacharya/HT)

Teej celebrations are not complete without mehendi and bangles either. Hanuman Mandir in Connaught Place has been buzzing with customers, offering them a wide range of bangles. “Teej pe green hi chalta hai aur log khoob shopping kar rahe hain. Bangles humare yahan 30 and 60 per dozen bik rahe hain. Logon mein iss baar bahut utsah hain Teej and aane waale festivals ko leke,” says Abdul Azeez, a bangle seller.

Hanuman Mandir is a one-stop shop for bangles. (Photo: Shantanu Bhattacharya/HT)
Hanuman Mandir is a one-stop shop for bangles. (Photo: Shantanu Bhattacharya/HT)

For Rekha Sharma, a homemaker from Delhi, the place is a one-stop shop for all Teej essentials: “Maine apni beti ke liye Teej ka saaman liya hai yahan se. Shringar ka samaan bahut acha milta hai.”

For mehendiwalas such as Rajkumari Mehendiwali, stationed here, Teej means more sales. “Log enquiry karke gaye hain do din pehle. We take 100 per hands for mehendi. Saawan ke designs bante hain jaise ghewar, jhoola jhoolte hue Krishan ji ke saath saheliyan, aur Madhubani art work. Covid ke wajah se business bahut down tha. But ab mostly log ghar bula lete hai,” she says.

Echoing similar sentiment, another mehendi artist Ganga Ram says, “July 29 se customers aane shuru ho gaye the. 2,000 tak jaate hain rates. It ranges from 100, 150, 500 to 1100. Log net se design laate hai naye naye to recreate. Pichli baar rakhi pe bhi business acha nahin tha. Hope iss baar woh losses recover ho jayein.”

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