Khajoor, gachak add sweetness to Lohri warmth

The sale of gachak made of jaggery and fried khajoor has increased ahead of Lohri. During winter, these delicacies are consumed by people of all age-groups.

Expert cooks at halwai shops are engaged in rolling out khajoor sweets for Lohri. This sweet is made especially during the winter and assumes importance because of its association with the festival.

The scrumptious traditional sweet khajoor is available in the local markets from December till February, making it a novelty for the local residents. With winter at its peak, it is surely catching the eyes of a lot of visitors.

It is believed that these are exclusively available in the holy city. Made of ‘maida’ (refined flour), it is fried in clarified butter and ghee, which determines their price in the market. The product is then kept at room temperature for sale and can last for a week.

“We started preparing khajoor in the first week of December. People eagerly wait for them to enjoy in winter as well as on Lohri,” said Rajesh Ahuja, the owner of a local sweet shop.

People have been purchasing the sweet to savour it with a cup of tea on foggy days. Its sale increases manifold ahead of Lohri as families gift it along with bhugga and gachak, especially to their married daughters.

Jaideep Singh, who was buying these sweets for her sister who recently got married, said, “My sister’s in-laws savour khajoor. It is an unavoidable delicacy which is only prepared in winter.”