| Varanasi has a rich tradition of eating sweets (or | | | | odyssey. Feast on the juicy Rosogollas(or Rasgulla), |
| Mithai, as sweets are called in India) made from milk | | | | take a big bite of that creamy Barfi or feel the soft |
| based products. Like the omnipresent ‘Banarasi | | | | Maalpua melting away in your mouth delighting your |
| Paan' shops in Varanasi, one finds sweet shops at | | | | taste buds. And of course, there is the rich, creamy |
| almost every street in Varanasi. The sight of the | | | | sweet Lassi of Varanasi– the perfect way to wash |
| varied varieties of sweets displayed at these shops | | | | down the gastronomical delights. These sweets are |
| as you traverse the city is a mouth watering | | | | made from ‘Khowa' and ‘Chhena' both |
| experience. Looking back in to the rich cultural heritage | | | | derivatives of milk – that undergo a series of |
| of Varanasi, it is easy to understand the reason for | | | | processes perfected by the skilled workers who |
| the mind-boggling variety of sweets available in | | | | inherited the art from their forefathers, and shaped into |
| Varanasi. | | | | various geometrical forms that adorn the showcase of |
| Over the past few centuries, Varanasi has been the | | | | the sweet shops in Varanasi. |
| center of influx of settlers from different regions of | | | | There are many old and good sweet shops that have |
| India. It is a virtually a mini India of sorts and there are | | | | their own fan base in and around the areas they are |
| small niche settlements in Varanasi which | | | | located. Some of them are more famous for a |
| predominantly boast of the presence of a particular | | | | particular type of sweet and people would visit the |
| community that settled down in Varanasi. There are | | | | shop from different part of the city to buy. There are |
| the Muslims, the Bengali's, the South Indians, the | | | | some really small shops that have become the ‘go |
| Christians, the Sindhi's, Sikhs, Gujarati's, Marwaris and | | | | to shop' if you want to buy a particular variety of |
| the other smaller groups from different parts of India | | | | sweet. They have a huge fan base in the city and |
| who have made Varanasi their home. As is to be | | | | they have become household names renowned for |
| expected, these small, niche localities display a unique | | | | that one special variety of sweet. Then there are the |
| lifestyle that still retains the flavor of their original culture | | | | larger sweet shops in Varanasi where you can find |
| and customs of the places they came from including | | | | almost all the major varieties of sweets you have |
| their culinary tradition. For the casual travelers to | | | | heard of and some of these shops are equally |
| Varanasi, it would be difficult to notice the difference | | | | famous for their good quality and variety. Personally, I |
| as these communities have intermingled with the local | | | | love the sweets from a shop called the ‘Chheer |
| Varanasi culture and have adopted the ways of | | | | Sagar' that is located close to the Sonarpura chowk |
| Varanasi. However, if you were to take a closer look, | | | | on the road to Godowlia. |
| you can see the diversity in the unity of Varanasi. The | | | | Changing with the times and keeping in mind the unique |
| long period of cultural intermixing has created a unique | | | | needs of the clientele, some of these popular shops |
| culinary tradition in Varanasi where you would find | | | | also sell the sugar free and low fat versions of their |
| delicacies from the menu of almost every state of | | | | sweets. They claim that they use the sugar substitute |
| India. | | | | that is the choice of diabetics and sugar patients. This |
| Sweets being part of the menu of almost all Indian | | | | has not only increased their client base but also |
| cultures, the settlers in Varanasi brought their own | | | | brought back their many fans who had been forced to |
| unique recipes that gradually became a part of the | | | | give up their favorite sweets due to their medical |
| composite sweet culture of Varanasi. The most | | | | conditions. So even those travelers who may be |
| popular sweets of Varanasi that are loved by all | | | | suffering from high blood sugar or diabetes, can visit |
| include the Kalakand,Lal Peda, Parval, Kulfi, Maalpua, | | | | some of these sweet shops and savor the many |
| Malai Puri and the divine Rabri. And then there is the | | | | heavenly delights that will sweeten your Varanasi |
| ‘Lawanglata' – a sweet that is very well known | | | | experience. I wonder if some enlightened author would |
| and really popular among the masses – which you | | | | take a cue from the many ‘mithai' or sweets of |
| would find in every sweet shop of Varanasi, big or | | | | Varanasi and compose a ‘Mithaisutra' on the lines |
| small. If you have a thing for sweets and have a | | | | of the extremely popular ‘Kamasutra' of Khajuraho |
| sweet tooth, Varanasi will be a mouth watering | | | | in India. Not a bad idea, eh? What do you say? |