Rahul Gandhi Celebrates Diwali at Delhi's Historic 235-Year-Old Ghantewala Sweet Shop, Makes Traditional Sweets

New Delhi:

Celebrating Diwali, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi paid a visit to Ghantewala, one of Delhi's most historic and iconic sweet establishments.

Founded in 1790 in Old Delhi, this renowned sweet shop boasts a prestigious history of serving multiple generations of India's political elite, including Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi.

The proprietor warmly welcomed Rahul Gandhi on Monday, mentioning that the establishment traditionally sent sweets for his father Rajiv Gandhi's birthday celebrations and other special occasions.

During his visit, Gandhi was introduced to the traditional art of making imartis. This sweet delicacy from Uttar Pradesh is prepared by deep-frying urad dal batter into flower-shaped patterns and then soaking them in sugar syrup. Gandhi eagerly participated, donning an apron and trying his hand at crafting these intricate sweets.

The Rae Bareli MP engaged in a meaningful conversation with the shop owner about the craft of sweet-making. The owner lamented, "There is no department in India that trains sweet makers."

Gandhi responded thoughtfully, "But why not? There is no respect for this craft." The proprietor explained that while culinary professionals are honored with the title of chef, traditional sweet makers are simply called halwai, despite being the "torchbearers of mithai."

Gandhi also attempted frying besan (gram flour) halwa and shaping laddoos, acknowledging the difficulty by commenting, "Not easy," as he worked. He reflected on the extensive effort behind sweet production, noting, "You eat sweets, but you don't think about how they came here. It involves the work of farmers, workers, and the artisans themselves."

Sharing his experience on social platform X, Gandhi wrote, "I tried my hand at making Imarti and Besan Laddus at the famous and historic Ghantewala sweet shop in Old Delhi. The sweetness of this centuries-old prestigious shop remains the same even today, pure, traditional, and heart-touching. The true sweetness of Diwali lies not just in the platter, but also in relationships and society. Tell us all, how are you celebrating your Diwali, and how are you making it special?"

Ghantewala was established by Lala Sukh Lal Jain and stands as one of Delhi's oldest sweet establishments. At its founding, Shah Alam II served as the nominal Mughal Emperor, the British East India Company was expanding its influence, and Lutyens' Delhi was largely undeveloped.

The shop acquired the name Ghantewala through fascinating stories - one suggests it came from the emperor's favorite elephant, which would stop and ring a bell outside until offered sweets, while another attributes it to the bell-ringer (ghantawala) of the Red Fort who frequently patronized the shop.

Famous for traditional Indian confections like Sohan Halwa, Ghantewala closed in July 2015 due to declining sales, legal issues, and regulatory restrictions from the Delhi Pollution Control Committee.

In August 2024, eighth-generation owner Sushant Jain, together with his cousin Aryan Jain, successfully reopened the historic shop at its original Chandni Chowk location.