Enhance the festive spirit with mouth-watering delights this Diwali | Jaipur Beat

November 12, 2020 AdminLeave a comment

With the second wave of COVID-19, everyone is puzzled about their Diwali plans. No gatherings, no card parties, no fun of shopping & hopping from one shop to the other. But life goes on and so does the celebrations of life.

Where there is celebration, there have to be sweets that are healthy and delightful in every sense. Indian sweets come in a variety of colours, shapes and flavours. You name it, and you get it!

So let’s go find out some home chefs and outlets in the city who are making all the efforts to serve us the best during this festive time. From opulent and hatke sweet options to traditional Indian mithais, we have covered Jaipur’s delicious sweet options.

Cauldron Sisters

Ratika & Richa from Cauldron Sisters are making ‘not a mithai box’. They are making all cookies which look exactly like Mithai and serve it in mithai flavours like Kesar Peda, Rasmalai Cookie, Coconut Laddoo Macaroon & Gulab Jamun Brookie.

The best part is that these are homemade in their kitchen & most of the ingredients that they use in preparations are dry that allows a long shelf life. And for health-conscious souls, these are also little low in calories as compared to usual sweets taken in the festivals.

https://www.instagram.com/cauldron_sisters/?hl=en

Scrumptious Slice

Doorva Sharma is making delectable desserts in town and they’re worth every single bite. If you are someone for whom no festivity is complete without indulging in the fragrance of freshly baked items, then you can enjoy it from the Scrumptious Slice. Homemade cakes, cupcakes and many other savouries are baked to perfection all by hand and lots of love.

https://www.instagram.com/the_scrumptious_slice/

Chatokri

Founded by Rekha Khaitan, Chatokri is a culmination of her passion for food. Their USP is that they curate and handpick from selected partners across the country. We hope you enjoy their collection as much as we enjoyed putting it here.

https://www.instagram.com/chatokri/

Govindjee

Savour mouth melting sweets and a wide variety of Namkeen from the very old & trusted brand of Jaipur, Govindjee, originally Vijay Store at Choti Chaupar since 1954. They are offering all types of Gajak, dry fruits, cereals, & also they are the largest Indian Manufacturer of Traditional HAND ROASTED Namkeen. Their Malai Gajak, made of til (sesame seeds) and gud (jaggery) is highly recommended for all the Gajak Lovers. We bet, you can’t stop by having just one!

https://www.instagram.com/govindjeejeeyo/

Kalptaru Jain Store

This is a newly opened store at Rajapark that offers a whole lot of variety of sweets, dry fruits in premium quality to choose from. Freshly made sweet boxes like Chidawa ka Peda, Kaju Katli and many more will be the best if you want to gift. You may also get special festive packings such as special boxes for gifting on special occasions.

https://www.instagram.com/kalptaru_jain_store/

LMB

How can we miss without talking about the legendary LMB. Situated in the walled city and also in Vaishali Nagar, LMB is going an extra mile to deliver to your home in all parts of the country. From Rasgulla to Gulab Jamun, Rasmalai to Halwa, & Kaju Katli they are famous for the range of delicious sweets that they make and on Diwali they have specially curated a Festive Gift Collection as well.

https://www.instagram.com/laxmimisthanbhandar/

So, what are you waiting for, lets’ sweeten the festive spirit with Diwali sweets. Happy Festivities 🙂

Teej · Teej In Jaipur

Make your Teej Ghewar-licious! Jaipur Beat

July 22, 2020 AdminLeave a comment

Along with the traditional ghewars now one can savour ghewars with a twist that are sure to complement your taste buds.

The bond of ghewar and Jaipur goes a long way. Made specially during the month of saawan (July/August) – monsoons and around local festivities like Teej, Gangaur, Rakhi (Raksha Bandhan) and Makar Sakranti; ghewar is Pink City’s renowned sweet that is eaten in three forms – plain (which is brought home and dipped in sugar syrup or as we call it chashini), plain sweet (but is topped with chopped nuts) or rabri ghewar. Which one do you drool on most?

However, as times are evolving, so is this traditional mithai (sweet dish). Pink City girls – Ratika and Richa better known as the Cauldron Sisters, started baking coin ghewars 2years back and on popular demand have ventured into full-size ghewars for this festive season. With a spread of varied flavours to satisfy your palate, these ghewars are a must-try for all those who love the essence of it yet want a refreshing twist to it. And, attention all the chocolate lovers, if you swear by chocolate, you surely can’t resist this scrumptious delight – chocolate ghewar, which is a perfect mix of Jaipuri ghewar flavour and divine chocolate.

This disc-shaped sweet looks like honeycomb and is made out of maida (refined flour) and ghee (clarified butter). This batter is further dropped from a height in hot boiling pan of ghee or oil and deep fried. Once golden brown, it is either kept raw or dipped in sugar syrup in case of plain sweet ghewar.

What is interesting to note about this lip-smacking aromatic mithai is that Jaipur’s ghewar is world famous and is even exported globally. Infact, Paneer Ghewar was invented by Jaipur’s Laxmi Mishtan Bhandar in 1961, after experimenting with kilos of maida and quintals of milk. Not only this, when it comes to gifting specially to a wedded daughter, ghewar tops the mithai list.

This Rajasthani festival Dessert is always a chart topper and savored in different styles. So, this Teej, Jaipur it’s time to try your hands on some chocolate, thandai, rose or mango ghewar’s and bring in some freshness to this traditional sweet dish. And as we said above, if you love chocolate and ghewar, this sinful combo is a must-have!

When you order yours, don’t forget to click a picture and tag us @jaipurbeat

Where to buy: Ghewar is available on almost every sweet shop of Jaipur but for those looking for a Ghewar with a twist, get it from

CAULDRON SISTERS
Contact:
Ratika 9829151769
Richa 9660667781

You can find them on Instagram @ www.instagram.com/cauldron_sisters

Happy Teej to all!

Celebrations · Diwali · Eco-friendly Diwali · Festival · Festive Season · Jaipur · Jaipur Beat

Decoding the Significance of the Festival of Lights

October 24, 2019October 24, 2019 AdminLeave a comment

Diwali, as we all know, is the grand festival that is celebrated all over the country with new full zeal every year. It is also one of the most important festivals for Jaipur and Jaipurites, as here it is observed for a full 5 days. During this time entire Pink city is decked up, and all monuments and buildings are lit up which makes the city truly beautiful and full of splendour. The preparations start almost a month ago when Jaipurites starts cleaning the house, and decorating it because Diwali is not just a day-long affair for us but it is a complete five-day long event. And we believe to celebrate each and every day of Diwali with full passion. But did you know the significance of all these five days?

Let’s get a bit of knowledge about our favourite 5 Diwali days-

Dhanteras

Dhanteras which is also known as “Dhanvantari Trayodashi” is the first day of the five days of Diwali celebration. The legend behind celebrating Dhanteras is that the ocean was churned by Gods and demons to get Amrita or nectar. Dhanvantari (known as physician of Gods) had emerged out with a jar of elixir from the ocean. That is why this day is celebrated as Dhanteras.

It is believed that buying things such as gold or silver coins, jewellery, new utensils or other new things is the sign of Lakshmi coming home whole year. On this day Jaipur markets like Tripolia Bazaar, Johari Bazaar gets all bustled up with the people as everyone is busy buying the things.

Roop Chaturdashi

The second day is Roop Chaturdashi which is also known as Naraka Chaturdashi, Kali Chaudas or Choti Diwali. After a month-long cleaning of the home, it is time to deck up ourselves. It is believed that on this day it is very important to take care of one’s body and also improving one’s appearance through external means. In the old days, women used to apply ubtan to get that natural glow and now they go to parlours to get the festive look.

Whatever you opt for, this day signifies that you need to glow & shine like Diwali lights.

Diwali

This is the main day and marks the return of Lord Rama along with wife Sita to their kingdom from 14 year-long exile after defeating Ravana. When Rama, Sita and Lakshaman were back, the people of Ayodhya celebrated the return of their king by illuminating the earthen diyas and bursting firecrackers. Hence, Diwali is the celebration of Homecoming. We light up homes, wear new clothes, prepare lots of delicacies and offer prayers to Goddess Lakshmi. No matter where you are Jaipurites love to come back home to be with their family, and this is the true essence of this festival of Diwali.

Govardhan Pooja

The fourth day is Govardhan Pooja or Annakoota, people show their gratitude towards Lord Krishna by offering various types of food. The story behind this day is that, once Lord Indra got angry for the villagers had stopped offering him lavish meals which in return he promised good rains for their crops. So he flooded the village and soon it was underwater. Lord Krishna then came to their rescue by lifting the huge Govardhan Mountain on his little finger.

Bhai Dooj

Last day is called Bhai Dooj which celebrates the love of brother and sister. On this day, women pray to God for the long and prosperous lives of their brother and apply ‘tilak’ on their foreheads. According to mythology, on this day Yamraj visited his sister Yami, where she welcomed him with an aarti, applied tilak and offered sweets. Moved by his sister’s love he declared that any brother who received ‘tilak’ from his sister shouldn’t be afraid of death.

Now, that you know the significance of the five days of Diwali, go ahead and take part in the rituals and celebrations this Diwali with great enthusiasm. But remember to play eco-friendly Diwali and avoid bursting crackers for the sake of our environment.

Wishing you all a Joyful & Safe Diwali!

Childhood · Diwali · Eco-friendly Diwali · Festival · Festive Season · Jaipur · Jaipur Beat

Diwali: Then Vs Now

October 23, 2019October 23, 2019 AdminLeave a comment

Nostalgia is a beautifully relaxing feeling. Every time we think of the good old days, they leave our faces with a chipper yearning grin. Now is the time for Diwali, we want to take you back into the good old days – we want to make you smile, enjoy and laugh. We want to remind you of how celebrating Diwali with family was as compared to what it is now. So, let’s reminisce the memorable moments and see how amusingly life has changed, and how adulting has changed us:

Freedom to eat-

Then: Literally gorging on every other mithai.

Now: No more sweets please for me! I am on the Keto Diet.

Celebrating with family

Then: Looking like a family straight outta Hum Saath Saath Hain.

Now: Trying to juggle between marriage/work/college life and family life.

Enjoying Holidays

Then: At least 10 days holiday from school.

Now: Getting barely 3 days holiday at work.

Bursting crackers

Then: Bursting crackers till 2:00 am.

Now: Realising we were unaware of the environmental damage it did and shifting to No crackers wali Diwali.

Receiving gifts

Then: Receiving lots of chocolates and sweets from all the uncles, aunties and padosies.

Now: Worrying about giving gifts to everyone!

100 metres away from Rangoli rule

Then: “Do not play near the rangoli!”

Now: “Rangoli banane mein madat karna zara”

No-makeup rule

Then: Dreaming of wearing mom’s makeup.

Now: Wearing your own collection!

No tension of cooking snacks and decorations

Then: Playing in the streets.

Now: “Beta baazar jaakar 2 kilo gende ke phool le aa!” or Let’s do some decorations

Buying earthen diyas

Then: Buying earthen diyas and decorating them at home.

Now: Buying readymade fancy diyas. Who has got that much time?

Visiting family and friends

Then: Being dragged to others’ homes by mom and dad for Diwali Milan

Now: Sending WhatsApp wishes.

Times may have changed but we still cheer up when it’s Diwali time while fondly cherishing some old memories.

Tag your family and remind them of your beautiful festive journey! 😀

Celebrations · Cultural festivals · Events in Jaipur · Fairs & Festivals · Jaipur · Jaipur Beat · Jaipur Happenings · Uncategorized

This Diwali, Let’s Keep Our Culture Alive!

November 3, 2018November 5, 2018 AdminLeave a comment

Preserved and passed on for generations, the elixir of living the life and the footprints of our ancestors, the culture, the traditions and the zeal of life. Diwali is not just about a festival in our country. It is more about heritage, and its preservation.

On Diwali we celebrate the return of Ram from 14 years of exile, and growing up, Diwali was all about lighting up diyas, cooking sweet Indian delicacies, sparking fire crackers, and worshipping Lord Ganesha and goddess Laxmi. With the change in time and tradition, we are losing the grip on soul of this festival. Here are a few things we all need to turn back to this Diwali!

The Elaborate Diwali Pooja- The elaborate Diwali pooja always used to be a family affair but now it is also losing its value to us. The conventional ways of celebrating Diwali started by pooja are changing with most of the youngsters migrating to different cities for education and job. We should learn to pray on our own if we cannot reach home on Diwali. 🙂

Sweets– Where there is celebration, there has to be sweets, but nowadays we are turning towards chocolates and other dessert options that are known to be #gluttonfree #cholesterolfree #fatfree and whatnot. We are forgetting that the delicious recipes of homemade sweets like laddus, gulabjamun, barfi, halwa, mathri, etc. that have been handed down to us by our nani and dadi are much healthier and delightful in every sense.

New Clothes- The zeal of the festival Diwali needs to be kept alive with new clothes, because Diwali also marks a new beginning, the end of evil and the victory of the good. We promise you that you are going to have a worthy stock of pictures for Instagram with a new ethnic attire.

Cleaning our homes- Scientifically, it is a good idea to clean your house around mid-October and mid-November because after the monsoon, cleaning makes sure all the germs and infectants are eradicated from the house.

Although, religiously it is believed that goddess Laxmi visits the homes of devotees on the night of Diwali to bless them with happiness, luck and prosperity for the rest of the year. Therefore, we illuminate and decorate our houses with diyas, lights and rangoli.

Firecrackers- Burning of firecrackers also carries a scientific logic behind itself apart from the celebration. The heat produced in the environment due to burning of the crackers makes sure that all the disease causing microbes are removed from the environment after the end of monsoon. But the perpetually increasing pollution restricts us from doing so, and we can opt for lighting mustard oil diyas for the same effect.

So this Diwali, let’s make a promise that we are not going to feel guilty about having an extra gulab jamun, or bursting the fire crackers, that we are not going to wear that old comfortable jeans, rather try a slightly uncomfortable but new dress; that we are going to make sure our houses are spick and span before Diwali. Let’s make a promise to preserve the enriched culture handed down to us by our ancestors.

Happy Diwali!

Food · Jaipur

5 Mouth-watering Sweets In Jaipur For Your Winter Cravings

November 7, 2017November 20, 2017 AdminLeave a comment

Sweets are an integral part of life especially for Rajasthanis’. We never fail to eat sweets whether it is Holi or Rakhi or Diwali. Each festival brings different kind of sweets to our doorstep. And for those who have a sweet tooth, are always looking for some or the other speciality of the season. Let’s take you through the all-time favourite sweet shops in Jaipur.

Shree Gangaur Sweets

Only 5 months since its inception in Jaipur, Shree Gangaur Sweets serves one of the finest sweet delicacies in the city. If you are looking for the packaging and especially Balushahi, then you should definitely visit this shop.

Amardeep Sweets

Akhrot Ki Mithai is on your mind, and then Amardeep Sweets is the right choice for your sweet tooth cravings.

Laaduwala Sweets

Whether you cleared your board exams or your marriage got fixed, Ladu is a must to have sweet especially in Jaipur. Laaduwala Sweets has humongous variety of Ladus but Doodh Ke Ladu are a must to gorge on.

Mahaveer Rabdi

Craving for some flavourful rabdi, with lots of pistachio nuts on top, then the right place to look at is Mahaveer Rabdiwala, Chandpole Bazar.

Laxmi Mishtan Bhandar

For any festival or special occasion, you want to have sweets, Laxmi Mishtan Bhandar is definitely on your mind. Famous for its dahi bade, rasgulle, rasmalai, and especially paneer ghevar, this place is ready to serve you with whatsoever is on your list.

Since every festival is synonymous to different type of sweets, these are the speciality during Diwali season. Jaipur Beat covered this sweet trail during the festival of lights, let’s watch this special sweet trail of Jaipur!

Jaipur

6 Winter Sweets In Jaipur To Sweeten Up Your Life!

January 6, 2015December 28, 2018 AdminLeave a comment

Winters are short, so is life!! So eat sweet and indulge into moments of sweetness without any inhibitions. Here we bring to you some sweets to lay your hands on this winter. Don’t wait! Go and grab some. 🙂

1. Gajak

This dry and crisp sweet made of til and jaggery will keep your body warm on the biting cold days. You can buy Gajak from the famous Narayanji Gajakwale located in Johri Bazaar & Rawat Mishthan Bhandar in Sindhi Camp.

2. Churma

Churma, made of wheat flour and cooked in ghee and sugar, is one delicacy without which the traditional Rajasthani Thali is incomplete.

3. Gajar Ka Halwa, Badam and Moong Dal ka Halwa

Winters are short! Have Halwa first. 😉 You can easily track down some famous shops at Gheewalon ka Rasta that offer variety of mouth-watering halwa.

4. Malpua

Forget about all your weight loss resolutions of 2015 and get your hands on this indulgent creation that is irresistible. Please your senses and soul with some Malpua and Rabri at Mahaveer Rabri Wala at Tonk Road, Jaipur.

5. Doodh Jalebi

Warm yourselves up on a wintry day with some Garma Garam Doodh Jalebi at Saras Parlour in Malviya Nagar.

6. Gaund Ke Laddoo

Have a Gaund Ka Ladoo a day and keep your winter illness away. 😉 Gaund ke Ladoo are rich in taste and nutritious for health and can be found at every sweet shop during winters. You can get some real good ladoos from Sodhani or LMB.

Jaipur

10 Things Which Make Diwali Celebrations So Special!

October 22, 2014October 22, 2014 AdminLeave a comment

All of us wait all year for this vivid festival of lights and celebrations, and when it finally arrives, there is just so much to do 😀 Amidst these so many things that we love, here are 10 things that make this festival absolutely special and memorable every single year 🙂

1. Fairy lights everywhere!
You can simply amaze yourself every year by the strikingly lit buildings of the pink city. The joy of lighting up your houses on the occasion of Diwali is unpretentiously overwhelming.

2. Puja
The feeling of peace and joy you get during the puja is unmatchable and the yummy sweets offered after the puja make you forget all about your weight loss resolutions.

3. Shoppers’ delight
The ardent love for shopping rushes out instantly from the typical shopaholic humanly figures during Diwali time and the special discounts, weekend offers make them go gaga.

4. The food lovers and stuffers
It’s that time of year when you all like to fill your mouths with every possible delicacy completely ignoring your diet patterns.

5. The pretty people around.
Diwali is the time when you love to embellish yourselves by donning the best of your traditional wear.
The decked up people and the pretty faces around simply add to the city lights.

6. Crackers
Bursting crackers is sheer madness but fun too! Seeing the random kids in your vicinity bursting crackers and then jumping out their skin to ward-off the bang is hilarious.

7. Gifts
It is such a great feeling when you are surrounded by gifts and sweets. Diwali is one chance to get anything you want from your parents as gifts. So present your requests wisely.

8. Photographs
People love to get clicked when they are best dressed.
Studio clicks, selfies or just the random pictures of your rangoli, photographs always bring smiles on your faces. So go and click!

9. The Diwali greetings
The joy, thrill and warmth you experience on receiving Diwali wishes from your closed ones lasts for life.

10. Family Reunions
It’s that one time of the year when you get to meet your entire extended family and all you feel like singing is ‘ Hum Saath Saath Hain’.