How the history of Indian sweets inspired today s festive favourites

Written by deepali verma | October 17, 2025

Indian festivals are the days of happiness, devotion, and deliciousness that remind us of our origins. Imagine a festive morning when beautiful lanterns shine during Diwali, or the chanting that takes place during Navratri in the temple. And what if you could see a plate of sweets in front of you? Since our childhood, sweets have been an essential part of our memories of festivals. The very first bite of kheer after a pooja, the laddoos that you got for the neighbours in boxes, or a peda that was given to you as prasad, each of them comes with a little story.

However, sweets are not only about taste. The history of Indian sweets is a long one, tracing back to temple offerings, family kitchen traditions, trade with other regions, and customs passed down through the generations. The simple grain and jaggery combinations that were used in the past have gradually transformed into our today's festive plates' laddoos, modaks, pedas, jalebis, and barfis. The good thing is that, with modern recipes, even though chocolate, dried fruits, and fancy plating have been added, the core of these sweets, which comes from tradition, remains intact.

As we get ready for the festivities in the coming months, why not take a moment to understand how the old recipes have become the new ones? Here are seven sweet dishes that still hold the spotlight during the festival season and have a story to tell.

Modak – The Icon of Ganesh Chaturthi

Modak is one dessert that immediately reminds us of Lord Ganesha. Considered to be lord ganesha’s favorite, no Ganesh Chaturthi is complete without modaks. Years ago, Ukadiche modak, which is steamed rice flour dumplings with jaggery and coconut filling, was the traditionally prepared prasad. In ancient times, coconut, jaggery, and a pinch of cardamom were used to prepare it, making it more nutritious. Gradually, families began to innovate with fried modaks and even chocolate or mango ones. Now, making modaks during Ganesh Utsav is itself a ritual. To prepare your own, steam rice flour dough into small shells, fill with coconut-jaggery mixture, and close them gently. After steaming, they are soft, sweet, and sacred, just like the good old days.

Laddoo – From Ayurveda to Diwali Plates

Laddoo is India's most ubiquitous sweet, and its origin story is interesting. Ancient herbalists used to roll herbs, seeds, and jaggery into laddoo-like shapes for strength and immunity. Gradually, temple kitchens incorporated them as offerings, and family recipes thrived. We have hundreds of varieties today, from besan laddoo, motichoor laddoo, rava laddoo, and whatnot, including seeds or dates laddoo available in the sweet shops, particularly during Diwali. While the ingredients may vary, the process remains largely the same; laddoo, in all its forms, maintains the tradition of nourishment as a festive food.

Kheer – The Timeless Festive Pudding

One of the oldest sweets documented in India is kheer. Ancient literature talks of rice cooked in milk and jaggery, made during religious ceremonies. It went on to become payasam in the South, phirni in the North, and remains a temple prasad throughout the nation. As a comforting sweet dish, kheer is prepared with rice or vermicelli, slow-cooked in milk, scented with cardamom, saffron, and nuts on top. The history of Indian sweets cannot be skipped, as kheer describes the evolution of a bowl of rice and milk into something that symbolizes purity and blessing.

Peda – Krishna's Gift from Mathura

Peda has the essence of Mathura, where Lord Krishna was born. Devotees are said to have begun giving thickened sugar and milk, which eventually took the form of pedas. With celebrations such as Janmashtami, pedas became a family favorite. Now, saffron peda, doodh peda, and even chocolate peda end up in festive sweet boxes. To prepare at home, boil milk into khoya, add sugar, and shape into small discs. A peda is not merely a dessert; it's a bite of devotion that attaches directly to our culture and tradition.

Jalebi – A Sweet With Global Roots

Jalebi might seem like a purely Indian dessert, but its origins are actually in Persia, where it is known as zalabiya. It was brought to India by traders and has been a favorite ever since. Its golden curls infused with sugar syrup are now a part of Diwali, Eid, and weddings. The recipe remains largely the same even today: a fermented batter is piped into hot ghee, fried into spirals, and then immersed in syrup. Serve it with rabri or on its own, jalebi is a cross-cultural treasure that showcases how India has embraced and adapted world sweets.

Barfi – From the Mughal Kitchen to Contemporary Festivals

The term "barfi" is derived from the Persian word for snow, which suggests its origin in the Mughal kitchen, where milk sweets gained popularity. From there, it became a standard item in Indian festivals like Diwali and Raksha Bandhan. Now, we have countless variations: kaju barfi, pista barfi, coconut barfi, or chocolate barfi, to name a few. The foundation is as simple: milk solids or milk powder cooked with sugar and ghee, then hardened into slabs and cut into neat squares or diamonds. Barring silver leaf wrapping or plain, barfi signifies richness and royalty on the festive table.

Mysore Pak – A Royal Accident That Became A Festive Sweet

Mysore Pak is a sweet that originated by accident in the royal kitchens of Mysore. A chef who was experimenting with gram flour, ghee, and sugar ended up creating this golden sweet, which soon became a favorite at the palace. Today, it is a Diwali and South Indian wedding essential. While its preparation takes time, it is simply a matter of roasting gram flour in ghee, making sugar syrup, and stirring it all to set as a soft, golden mass. Its crumbly richness still stands for both indulgence and tradition on celebratory plates.