How I Celebrated Makar Sankranti in Mangaluru

Makar Sankranti, also known as Ghughutiya or Uttarayani, is one of the most significant folk festivals or lok parvs in Uttarakhand.

From Makar Sankranti onwards, the grip of winter gradually loosens. It also heralds a seasonal shift, with migratory birds returning to the hills.

Ghughutiya holds immense cultural and spiritual significance in Uttarakhand. On this auspicious occasion, people take holy dips in sacred rivers.

The festival is particularly celebrated in the Kumaon region, where a unique tradition revolves around preparing special delicacies from sweetened wheat flour dough. These are shaped into various forms, like drums, swords, and then deep-fried.

The most iconic shape resembles the Hindi numeral four. These sweet treats, known as Ghughute, are strung together to form necklaces, which children proudly wear on the morning of the festival.

Portions of these edible necklaces are offered to crows and other birds, a gesture to welcome migratory birds back to the hills after their winter stay in the plains.

Ghughutiya is more than just a festival for me; it's a celebration of my roots and a chance to share these cherished traditions with my daughters.

This year, I wanted to make it extra special for them. I focused on creating all the Ghughute in the shape of the Hindi numeral char, adding a playful touch to the tradition.

The Ghughute necklace was the absolute highlight for them -- they couldn't stop calling it their 'edible necklace'!

Seeing their excitement reminds me how important it is to keep these traditions alive. Although we now live far away from our village, I make sure to celebrate Ghughutiya with the same enthusiasm, passing on these cherished memories.

Ghughute

Servings: 20-25

Ingredients

• 2 cups aata or whole wheat flour (I used 1 cup jowar flour and 1 cup wheat flour)
• ½ cup sooji or semolina
• 1 cup water
• 1½ cups grated jaggery
• ¼ cup til or sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp sonf or fennel seeds
• 4 tbsp ghee or oil
• Oil for deep frying
• Pinch baking soda, optional; it gives a biscuit-like texture

Method

• Heat the water in a saucepan and add the grated jaggery.
  Cook until the jaggery melts completely.
  Strain the jaggery water to remove impurities and let it cool.
  Keep aside.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the whole wheat flour (or a mix of wheat and jowar flour), semolina, sesame seeds, fennel seeds, and the ghee/oil.
  Mix well.
  Gradually add the cooled jaggery water to the dry mixture and knead into a soft dough.
  Add a little more ghee at the end to make the dough smooth and pliable.

• Divide the dough into small portions.
  Roll each portion into thick ropes or cylindrical shapes and twist them into spirals or loops resembling the Hindi numeral 4.

• Heat the oil in a deep saucepan or a kadhai over medium heat.
  Fry the Ghughute until they turn golden brown, then reduce the heat to low and fry until light golden brown and crisp.
  Drain the fried Ghughute on a tissue or paper towel-lined plate to remove excess oil.

• REDIFF FOOD