Surat, 9 October 2014

Gujarat’s second largest city Surat is celebrating Chandi Padvo(falls in October every year, just on the next day after Sharad Purnima) today.

Chandni Padvo is an occasion when Suratis enjoy ‘Ghaari’ sweet with another local food item called Bhusu.

Pay a visit to the city in the evening on Chandni Padvo, and you would be amazed to watch hundreds of Surtis enjoying ‘Ghaari’ sweet sitting on the clean footpaths of some of the major roads of this city with their family and friends(glimpses are presented in the video above).

The history of juagalbandi of Ghaari and Chandni Padvo goes back to 19th century when Tatya Tope came to Surat for refuge and he was offered Ghaari sweet by Devshankar Ghaarivala.

Locals say that Tatya Tope liked Ghaari so much that he requested Ghaarivala to offer Ghaari to his entire army. The order was followed and in the evening of Chandni Padvo, Tope’s entire army was offered Ghaari sweets. Thus the tradition of eating Ghaari in large gatherings on ‘Aaso Vad Padvo'(Chandni padvo) began.

Devshankar Ghaarivala’s shop near Lal gate was later replaced with Choryashi dairy(existing there even today) in 1956. Devshankar’s fourth generation is represented by Bipin Ghaarivala, who is no more involved in Ghaari business.

However there’s another family in Surat, which is involved in Ghaari business for over a century. This is Jamnadas Ghaarivala family. Fifth generation of Jamnagadas is represented by Kunjan Ghaarivala.

“Earlier Ghaari sweet was made using pure mava(made from milk and sugar), however nowadays we add dry-fruits when demand is made for so, and we also make Ghaari of various flavors,” said Kunjan.

Another Ghaari maker Munnabhai even supplies boxes full of Ghaari to foreign country. He has also made a special sugar free Ghaari for diabetics patients.