Sweets named after luminaries of India’s freedom movement have now lost their charm and have largely become extinct in country’s cultural capital, Varanasi.
‘Ram Bhandar,’ sweet shop at Thatheri Bazar has been famous for introducing sweets named after luminaries of country’s freedom struggle. Tirangi Burfi, Gandhi Gaurav, Vallabh Sandesh, Subhash Bhog, Jawahar Laddu, Moti Paak and Priyadarshini were introduced by this sweet shop by Late Madan Gopal Gupta in 1942, the year of Quit India Movement.
“My Grandfather Madan Gopal Gupta started these sweets and named them after great patriots. Actually he wanted to give his contribution in freedom movement so he shown his contribution by inventing these sweets All the invented sweets were made of Kaju and Pista but now Tirangi Burfi are made of Khoa,” Arun Gupta of the Ram Bhandar sweet shop in Varanasi told HT on Saturday. He added, “there was a time when people were very eager to attend Independence Day functions and proud of being the part of the celebration. Now people don’t know the importance of Independence Day.
Till the 1980s, people used to buy such sweets for their personal use, several schools and other institutions used to place bulk orders for such sweets on Independence Day but now things have changed a lot. They are after fancy and well decorated sweets.” Sweets in the three colours of the national flag, ‘Tirangi Burfi’ and ‘Jawahar Laddu’ are still doled out by the shop.
Gupta shared, “It’s true that sweets introduced by my grandfather are now not in demand. Customers don’t purchase them. From 1990s, except Tirangi Burfi and Jawahar laddu, none of the introduced sweets are being offered as customers don’t demand them now.” He further said, “We want more and more people should opt for such items that will contribute in their own way giving the patriotic flavour to Independence Day celebrations but none has asked for Tirangi burfi yet.”
{{/usCountry}}Gupta shared, “It’s true that sweets introduced by my grandfather are now not in demand. Customers don’t purchase them. From 1990s, except Tirangi Burfi and Jawahar laddu, none of the introduced sweets are being offered as customers don’t demand them now.” He further said, “We want more and more people should opt for such items that will contribute in their own way giving the patriotic flavour to Independence Day celebrations but none has asked for Tirangi burfi yet.”
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