Editor’s Note
This article describes the launch of ‘Gold Ghaari,’ an extravagant sweet in Surat that incorporates edible gold, released for the Chandi Padva festival. It highlights a unique blend of local culinary tradition and luxury, reflecting on contemporary trends in festive consumption.
Surat, famous for its food culture and tradition of new experiments, has introduced a sweet to the market just before the favorite festival of Surat residents, Chandi Padva, this year. It has broken all records of inflation. The name of this sweet is ‘Gold Ghaari’.
The direct impact of rising gold prices is visible on this luxury sweet. The price of one piece of this Gold Ghaari has directly reached 1400 rupees. This is typically double the per kilogram price of any other sweet. Meanwhile, the price of Silver Ghaari has also increased from 190 rupees to 250 rupees.
Himanshu Sukhadia, owner of Surat’s famous S. Motiram Sweets and Snacks, which makes Gold Ghaari, explained that due to the massive increase in gold and silver prices, they had to increase the price of their premium Ghaari. The Ghaari, which sold for 1100 rupees last year, has increased to 1400 rupees per piece this year.
The factors that make Gold Ghaari the country’s most expensive sweet are not only its price but also its high quality.
– This Ghaari is made with pure desi ghee.
– Compared to ordinary Ghaari, special premium dry fruits are used in it.
– It is coated with a layer of pure edible gold, which establishes it as a luxury food item.
The popularity of Gold Ghaari is no longer limited to South Gujarat. There is heavy demand for this Ghaari among Surat residents living abroad and other Indian communities in countries including the USA, Australia, Dubai, Africa, and London. For foreign orders, it is specially air-packed. Gold Ghaari is also being used in the corporate world for corporate gifting. Its beautiful and splendid packaging makes it even more attractive.
According to the Hindu calendar, the people of Surat celebrate Chandi Padva (Chandra Padva) on the second day after Sharad Purnima, which comes after the conclusion of Navratri and Dussehra. On the evening of this day, people gather with their families and friends on the footpaths, parks, and public places of Surat city, bringing mats and snack boxes.
The main attraction of this community feast is Surat’s world-famous sweet Ghaari and the syrup made from it. According to an estimate, the people of Surat consume more than two lakh kilograms of Ghaari in one day, resulting in business worth crores of rupees.
Ghaari was started by Devshankar Ghaariwala in 1838. However, during the 1857 rebellion, when Tatya Tope and his army liked this sweet immensely, its popularity increased and it became synonymous with Surat. Thus, Chandi Padva is not just a festival, but a unique confluence of community celebration, taste, and rich history, which gives Surat a distinct identity in the world.