It is getting out of hand. Not that I am complaining of course, but I think the Western media has finally caught on to Diwali mania. And in perfect IST fashion, the 
New York Times chimes in with their addition to the Diwali-themed articles, focusing on one of the most important facets of the Diwali holiday: mithai (Indian sweets). Yeah, many first and second geners claim to not like them, complaining of their over-sweetness or their unnatural colors. And then what is the deal with that silver stuff that covers so many of them (FYI it is actually real silver). The article, aptly titled “Festival of Lights, Parade of Sweets,” does a good job of getting into the nitty gritty of the role of mithai in Diwali and Eid and in South Asian society in general.
This week, in a coincidence of calendars, Hindus and Muslims from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are celebrating the most joyous holidays of the year. Hindus observe the festival of lights, Diwali, or Deepavali, which ushers in the new year; Muslims finish the holy month of Ramadan with Id al-Fitr, which signals the end of the monthlong daytime fast and a return to the sweetness of daily life. The two holidays, Hindus and Muslims here say, are utterly soaked in sugar. “You cannot go to anyone’s house at this time of year without a quarter-pound of something sweet,” says Padma Dasgupta, a writer in Jericho, N.Y.
I didn’t see the article mention payasam, or any other South Indian sweets. Typical culinary North Indian bias!
I’m trying to think of the South Indian delicacies: mysorepaku, barfi, jelapi, laddoo. Honestly, none other come to mind, but I was sorely disappointed by the article’s bias. Not surprising.
Venkat, try “Theratti paal”, or the wonderful “Marundhu” (translates to medicine. Marundhu was for when you had too many sweets to digest.) And then, away from sweets, there was “vada”, and “mor kozhambu”. I’m not sure if they make “Avial” for Deepavali (not Diwali down south), but Southies have a parade all their own!
My favorite is definitely mampazha kootan or maybe tayir chatum 🙂 I grew up on a steady diet of South Indian.
BTD_Venkat –> Burfi, laddoo and jalebi are essentially N. Indian sweets right?
Venkat: Kerala Kuttan?
Not sure if Mango kootu (soup-curry?) is popular in Tamil nadu. Thayir sadham sure is.
There’s also Jalebi’s cousin, “Jangri” in TN. Which is actually a slightly sour, whitish version than the red, sweet ones found upside.
Yeah, many first and second geners claim to not like them, complaining of their over-sweetness or their unnatural colors.
or the fact that I had some a week back and my stomach is still in revolt 🙁
I for one I like, nay, LOVE mithai’s (of course in reasonable portions)
Is Sri Lakshmi, God Ganesha’s sister? That was news to me. I have not seen temples dedicated to this sibling pair in the South which is where I go often. Oh well live and learn I guess.
Sure to be many comments like this, but: this (is it 1st or 2nd gen’er if born in India but in US since a year old? How does this work again?) loves mithai. What kind of person dislikes pure sugar?
Donuts anyone?
Hey, I like maintaining a balance of sweets from both hemispheres. Boston creme donuts with some Hazelnut coffee from DD in the morning and khoye di barfi with some cha in the evening, son.
I am one of those people, its not that I don’t like Indian mithais, it’s just that I have good taste.
Multi-colored mithais like the ones in the NYT pic generally taste like crap.
Here’s my list of yummy mithais –
–rasmali –Bundi Ladoo –jalebi – Gulab Jamun –Lapsee
Additionally anything with the words ‘copra’, or ‘kaju’ in the name generally tastes good.
That’s why Madras’s finest mithai shop – Grand Sweets and Snacks – doesn’t use any artificial colourings and flavourings. Try their Lavanga Latika someday.
I love rabree.
the article also states that Lakshmi is Ganesha’s sister. WTF?
Haley
yes, if you are in any shape or form aware of “durga puja” in bengal, you would have known that Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Ganesha and kartikeya are siblings.
And Shiva is the dad.
Am missing the reason for the expletive!!
Would love to know why you exclaimed ……This is old news, not really a mutinous discovery as other Bongs here will certify real quick
Sumita
Sumita, could you give us non-Bongs a little more explanation on how Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesh and Kartik are siblings? I had no idea of this belief/interpretation.
Certifiable Bong here seconds Sumita.
And since we ARE talking sweet here, I had to chime in with rosogollas/rasgullas/however you want to spell them. They taste good, are not too sweet and yes, at times, do come covered with the silver varakh foil.
Cashew barfis are the best North-Indian confection, the South has Mysore-pak in comparison. Can we stop getting all N vs S divide on such a pleasant topic? 🙂
And someone send me a pack of sweets. Please? I can’t seem to find a place that does not sell non-frozen sweets within a 10 mile radius of home.
Anything food-related gets my immediate attention! Yeah I generally steer away from the neon-colored sweets — who knows what potentially banned dyes are used. (Wasn’t there a post on SM recently about how some Indian companies export foodstuffs with all kinds of dyes that violate international trade/health regulations?)
Usually the mithais I find the tastiest look quite humble and unassuming. Give me a basic gulab jamun, light or dark, with a bit of syrup inside — yum. Gajar halwa, kalakanth, chum chum, kaju burfi, etc etc.. so many wonderful varieties.
Being Bengali I’ve also had the pleasure of experiencing some distinctly Bengali treats like the ‘Rajbhog’ rasgulla — a mega sweet the size of a tennis ball with a kheer mithai inside the rasgulla — wow. Puja time also brings back memories of my grandmother’s ‘narkel naroo’ — coconut sweets that melt in your mouth.
And oh, the silverfoil on top of some mithais is perfectly safe and edible — just be sure to scrape it off before you heat up the goods in the microwave. It’s known to ignite. 😉
sumita — just because that’s true for bengalis doesn’t mean that’s true for southies. where i come from , lakshmi isn’t ganesha’s brother, but simply vishnu’s wife. not every one of us hindus is bengali, so there’s no need to get so defensive.
What kind of person dislikes pure sugar?
AMEN. I’m thinking hot, just-made jalebis. YUM. Sugar rush to last a year.
in all seriousness, Sumita– I’d like to know more about this relationship of Lakshmi & Ganesha as siblings. Perhaps it’s more prominent or common sense knowledge in different regions, but as Haley said, it’s not necessarily everywhere.
Many of us are not bengali, and therefore not
Instead of snapping at us for our stupidity, maybe you could tell us a bit more and explain what mythology we may be unaware of?
Desi Dancer,
I actually wrote to the Times yesterday asking about their source for the information in the article, because as I said, I was unfamiliar with this mythology. The writer of the piece told me I wasn’t the only one to question it. The Times’ official response is:
“According to two academic sources, including Dr. Tracy Pintchman, an expert on Hindu goddess traditions and Professor of Theology at Loyola University in Chicago, many people in western India — Maharashtra and Gujarat especially — do believe that Lakshmi is the sister of Ganesha. This would explain why some of my sources described her this way; like many New York-area Hindus, they are from that region.
“It is a distinct regional variation, not embraced by all Hindus. But it is generally believed there that the children of Shiva and Parvati are Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Karttikeya and Ganesha.”
I suppose this is a Bengali variation as well.
Learn something new (about the Mutiny) everyday.
Rani
Thanks, Rani! I really appreciate you sharing the info. I wonder who their second academic source is, and why they weren’t referenced in the reply you received from the NYT?
Wouldn’t mummy be so proud of all the little poojari mutineers 🙂
This is news to me too (re Lakshmi and Saraswati). Certainly not present in our version of things…
More fun facts about silver foil sweets. If you are vegetarians, you will just hell love it.
http://www.doctorndtv.com/faq/detailfaq.asp?id=9873