FESTIVE FEAST

FROM BANARAS TO ALWAR, DUSSEHRA IS THE TIME OF BIG CELEBRATIONS AND EVEN BIGGER FLAVOURS

- PUSHPESH PANT

DUSSEHRA, ALSO CALLED VIJAYA Dashami, is one of the most joyous festivals in India, celebrating Shri Ram's victory over the demon king Ravana. Another narrative associates the festivities with commemorating Goddess Chandi's killing of an oppressive demon. It is celebrated enthusiastically and marks the advent of the season of festive feasting that continues till the New Year. The menu comprises traditional sweets and savouries as well as specialities that are treated as culinary heirlooms.

Banaras, a city famous for its Ramlila, is also known for its malai (clotted cream) based sweets, such as malaiyyo, a lighter soufflé confection, and malai ka pooda, made from a paper-thin sheet of clotted cream packed with dried fruits and nuts and just a few crystals of mishri. 

The halwais of Lucknow, who once catered to finicky nawabs, trace their roots to Banaras. Ram Asrey's family takes pride in refining the malai sweets to a sublime level, claiming the creation of the balai ki gilory (balai is the term used for malai in Lucknow). Almost impossible to prepare at home, they are only bought from the legendary halwai shops.

Parwal ki mithai is another unusual sweet. The wax gourd is lightly scraped and blanched carefully, then packed with sweetened, crumbled chhena (curd cheese). Nowadays, most halwais use a filling of mawa, rendering the sweets heavier.