On Makar Sankranti, take a closer look at the Maharashtrian tradition of halwyache dagine
Madhuri Nikumbh Shiudkar crafts halwyache dagine. Pics/Satej Shinde
It's officially the season to eat sweet, speak sweet, and wear sweet. Take for instance, Kandivali-resident Jayashree Manohar Gharde’s nine-month-old nephew and nine-year-old niece, who are ready for their bornan or bornahan today. The little ones will have their friends over, be surrounded by treats like chocolates, kurmura, sugarcane cubes, peanuts and sorghum, and get decked up in jewellery crafted out of halwa balls. “While my nephew’s jewellery — a crown, necklace, flute — are fashioned after lord Krishna, my niece’s necklace, bangles and bindi are inspired by Radha,” she shares. It’s a tradition that Gharde has grown up with, and one that she plans to pass on to the next generation, in the hope of blessing them with a life that’s as sweet as the halwyache dagine (halwa jewellery) that they are wearing.
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Like Gharde’s niece and nephew, kids, especially newborns, and newly-weds from the Maharashtrian community will dress up today in this edible jewellery that’s made especially for Makar Sankranti. While kids are blessed during bornan, newly-weds wear the ornaments for haldi kumkum, shares home chef Rufina Shrotri. It’s the only auspicious day on which Maharashtrians get to wear black, she adds. Dombivali-based Madhuri Nikumbh Shiudkar, who starts taking orders from November to craft these ornaments at home, explains, “The idea is to ensure their life is filled with the sweetness of success and prosperity. For kids, bornan can be done in the period between Makar Sankranti and Ratha Saptami.”
A couple wears a set designed by Shiudkar; (right) Children’s sets are inspired by lord Krishna. Pic Courtesy/Shraddha Bhatwadekar
Back in the day, the ornaments would be made at home, by stringing together halwa balls — made of sesame seeds, cardamom seeds, milk, cloves, dried coconut, rock sugar, cashews and almonds — in between golden beads. They were also commonly found at Maharashtrian-dominated areas like Dadar. Over the years, with the tradition transforming into somewhat of a trend, creators like Shiudkar and Kolhapur-based Shraddha Bhatwadekar have cropped up, who take orders from their home and ship their creations across India and the world. “The jewellery for women is modelled on real ornaments like necklaces, chokers, nath, mangalsutra and bangles. Nowadays, traditional styles of jewellery, like tanmani, chinchpeti and tushi are also being fashioned out of halwa,” informs Shiudkar. With customisation becoming all the rage, sleeker designs are made on a canvas of cloth or cardboard, with detailing like paper/cloth flowers, lace, beads and more. “Men’s ornaments — previously limited to a long necklace — include edible watches, pens and laptop covers, too,” elaborates Shiudkar.
The cost of halwyache dagine ranges from Rs 100 to Rs 1,000 for kids, and Rs 800 to Rs 5,000 for couples, based on quality, detailing and delivery costs. The relation with her customers, says Shiudkar, is not just transactional. “From the moment I start designing the ornament, I get to be a part of their special moment. When they send pictures of their haldi kumkum or bornan, I feel included in their happiness,” she tells us.
CALL 9930461327 (Madhuri Shiudkar); 9011031107 (Shraddha Bhatwadekar)
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