Sugar toys make Diwali special

Divya Sharma

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 13

With festival of lights around the corner, the sugar toys and clay idols are back to their traditional markets. Markets such as Misri Baazaar and Khilonewala Bazaar have derived their names on custom of manufacturing sugar toys and clay idols in the area.

The preparation of the traditional sugar toys (edible toys) begins twenty days before Diwali. The mixture of water, sugar and edible color is heated at a particular temperature. Once, a coloured solution is ready, it is transferred into a wooden mould. These toys are popular in shapes of temple, horse and peacock; in three particular colours Pink, yellow and White.

Even the shopkeepers are not ready to change the colour or shapse of these eatables. “People are not ready for an experiment in this section. There are certain things which are scared and have to be kept traditional. People like it traditional.” said a shopkeeper of the area.

Traditionally, the walled city had number of major bazaars named after the commodity being sold by shopkeepers there. These two bazaars, are particularly are in demand in the season because of these two items. The narrow bazaar near Golden Temple also acts as retailers to vendors in the city. “The vendors come to us and take these toys to be sold in various parts of the city, it is a season that city shall witness the arrival of such items, said Bhupinder Singh, a shopkeeper.

Another market remembered by the residents is Khilonewala Bazaar or ‘Khandonewala Bazaar’ in the walled city area. The place has idols of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi.

Most of them either make it own or get it outsourced from craftsman residing in Uttar Pradesh, Kolkata and other parts.

Sant Ram, a vendor said, “It takes a year for the idols of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh to get ready along with other clay material such as diya plates and stands. It is all handmade. I also get stuff from Kolkata, Meerut, and Agra. It has to be outsourced due to the heavy demands during the festive time.”