Orders to ship Diwali sweets abroad grow

Last week, Dadar resident Anjali Bhosale visited Godbole Stores, located near her home, to send a special package to her son who studies in New York. The shop's 'Diwali Faral Hamper', which Bhosale sent to the US, contains 15 kinds of sweets and snacks along with diyas, kandeels (paper lanterns) and rangoli stickers.

Last week, Dadar resident Anjali Bhosale visited Godbole Stores, located near her home, to send a special package to her son who studies in New York. The shop's 'Diwali Faral Hamper', which Bhosale sent to the US, contains 15 kinds of sweets and snacks along with diyas, kandeels (paper lanterns) and rangoli stickers.

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"My son misses home during Diwali. He grew up eating faral (traditional Maharashtrian snacks and sweets). Sending this hamper there is our way of keeping the tradition alive," said Bhosale, an entrepreneur.

The number of Mumbaiites sending such hampers to their relatives living abroad has grown manifold. "We sent more than 6,000kg of snacks abroad this year. This is a record in the seven years of providing this service," said Manju Javier, manager, Godbole Stores, which exports its 'Diwali in a Box' to 176 countries.

Apart from the laddoos, which cost a Dollar each for foreign orders, stores have added 'diet' versions of traditional snacks for those who are health-conscious.

"The USA and UK are the most popular destinations for our hampers. But, this year, we have added customers in Egypt, Israel, China and New Zealand," said Ashish Panshikar, owner of Dadar's Panishkar, who claimed that they had sent a foreign shipment of more than 5,000kg.