Looking Back At the Journey and Evolution of Bengali Sweets
Our city Kolkata rightly called the City Of Joy is well known for its opulent culture, tradition, music, and literature. Are we missing out on something? Yes!! The opulent sweet culture!! This land boasts of its culture on sweets and it is continuing the legacy that was started way back in the yesteryears. It is tough to find a Bengali who is not in love with “misti” Be it during the nuptial ceremony or the festive session, sweets from the niche to welcome guests. If you are an ardent dessert lover from any outer state, you can drop in at a popular Sweet Shop in Kolkata. By dropping in you can soak in the ambiance of true culture and tradition.
A Walk Past Through the History of Bengali Sweets–
1. How GAUDA BAGA became a sweet hub: A Brief–
Ancient Bengal had a unique name and it was ‘GAUDA BANGA’. Legends and folktales narrate that the name has its origin in the term ‘GUR’ that is molasses. These molasses were harvested in quantum in the region in those days. The sweets in the yesteryears were crafted from coconut and Jaggery. The contemporary use of milk and cottage cheese was applied much later after colonial expansion.
2. The common household desserts–
In the early day’s sugar lumps and Batasha, a very popular sweet were commonly in use. If you delve more into the past, you can read about PITHE which is still very popular in Bengali households. Generally prepared by the women folks and are still household desserts, mainly prepared in January during the traditional religious affair, POUSH SANKRANTI. Yet another household delicacy those are highly accepted by all and sundry is PAYESH.
3. Cottage cheese brought about a major transformation–
Cottage cheese is in common language defined as “Channa” which came be used extensively only after the Portuguese settled here. Later the British domination was also responsible to some extent for the promotion of Bengali sweets.
We would not be discussing the sweets that have made Bengal so popular, but we would like to let our viewers know that Sweets from Bengal are quite popular amongst individuals from another state.
Bengali Sweets are Popular Even out of Bengal–
Numerous famous personalities from the literature have expressed their love and gratitude for sweets through their writing. Iconic personalities of the state were crazy for the sweets. Individuals residing outside never forget to take back Bengali sweet from popular Sweet Shop in Kolkata as a souvenir for their loved ones while returning.
Adhar Chandra Das & Sons is one such shop that has had a remarkable history of more than 100 years. They are specialised in numerous sweets and these variations have been liked by all. Like the iconic shop in Kolkata, they are also not left behind. If you want to make your taste budget new flavours then you always count on Adhar Chandra Das & Sons. They are a century-old name ready to cater to your sweet tooth.
