Pure khoya barfi puts Amritsar village on the map

The once-quiet Chetanpura bus stand, earlier known only for the memorial gate dedicated to Comrade Sohna Singh Josh or as a brief halt for buses travelling between Amritsar and Fatehgarh Churian, has now transformed into a lively marketplace. Today, this spot has earned a new identity for its famous khoya barfi.

At the bus stand, two sweet shops run by brothers have brought recognition to Chetanpura village with their unmatched, pure khoya barfi. Their commitment to quality and purity has turned this small rural stop into a popular destination for sweet lovers. People from Amritsar and nearby areas now visit Chetanpura especially to buy this delectable treat.

Gulzar Singh, an elderly resident of the village, recalled that nearly 20 years ago, his nephew began making khoya (a condensed milk product) from the milk of their own buffaloes and used it to prepare barfi. He started selling it from a small shop near the bus stand. “His only secret was purity — no adulteration, no shortcuts,” Gulzar Singh said. The taste soon made it popular in nearby villages and later in towns such as Fatehgarh Churian, Majitha and Ajnala.

Over time, “Chetanpura’s khoa barfi” became a brand in itself. After Gulzar Singh’s nephew passed away, his son continued the family tradition, running the same shop and preserving its signature taste. Around the same time, Gulzar Singh’s own son, Gurpreet Singh, also opened another sweet shop using the same recipe. Today, both establishments attract hundreds of customers daily, especially during festive seasons.

Sandeep Singh, a schoolteacher from a nearby village who lives in Amritsar, said he never misses buying sweets from these Chetanpura shops during festivals. He praised the quality, saying their barfi stands out for its natural flavour and freshness.

Once just a brief stop for buses, Chetanpura’s bus stand has now become a symbol of local entrepreneurship and pride, where the legacy of pure, homemade barfi continues to sweeten the identity of this small Punjabi village.