You Call it Dessert,We Call it Emotion-THEKUA

“You call it dessert, We call it emotion- “

THEKUA- It is not just a name, just a word hut it is an emotion for Bihar, for Bihari and for all of us. We feel connected. We get emotional.

काश, तुम सिर्फ़ एक शब्द ना होते। और वही हुआ..❤️

Meaning and Nomenclature

The word “Thekua” has it’s origin simply from locals, the residents of Bihar. Usually, our mothers, grand Maa (Dadi-Nani) use to prepare this amazingly beautiful dish by moulding it over a mould which is supposed to give shape and size to it and texture. Taken help of the mould (called Sancha) hence इसे ठोका जाता है over it and then it takes the name- THEKUA.

Its place of origin is definitely in India, precisely in our state of Bihar. It’s a great Indian snack, mainly taken as a sweet light dessert in the morning, in the evening at any time your tummy wants. Because it is healthy and क्रिप्सी-कड़ाड़ा (in local terminology).😄

Preparations

Main ingredients it takes are- Wheat flour, sugar/ sugar syrup or jaggery, Ghee, cardamom and few add different dry fruits to prepare more healthy.

Thekua is a revered Prasada, offering to god in the Chhath puja. It has been used as a sweet snack for centuries in these places.

The main ingredients of Thekua are wheat flour, Chasni (melted sugar) and Ghee. Jaggery can sometimes be used as an alternative to sugar. The dough is prepared using these four main ingredients and cardamom can be added to enhance the taste. The dough is deep-fried in ghee or vegetable oil till it becomes reddish-brown. It is soft when hot but hardens after it cools. It needs no preservatives and it can be preserved for several days for eating.

Importance

Mostly we get to listen to this word in every house in every corner during Chhath Puja, the auspicious 4 days festival of Bihar in which we worship the God Surya (Lord Sun), who is the greatest powerhouse of energy and light on the earth, who gives the reason that we are surviving on this planet.

Also when we are going for travelling or going for a long journey, we use to prepare this dessert and pack them since they get served for long without getting spoiled. As prepared in Shudh ghee or mustard oil, hardly chance of them getting tampered for 4-5 weeks and even more.

Mothers, Grand Maa used to pack them for their children and grandchildren (respectively) when they are going to different cities for studies, for job.

The snacks have the popularities, now, not only in India but abroad too. Cause they are not just food but the feelings.

If you stay away from Bihar (for any good reason), you too know how your friends use to be waiting for you to come and then just rush over your packed food bag for THEKUA.

वैसे भी, बिहारी और ठेकुआ, ये दोनों पर्याय ही हैं।❤️

Being a Bihari means you are the supplier of great snacks for your outsider friends who are obviously non-Bihari.

जितना महत्वपूर्ण हमारे लिए छठ पूजा है, बस उतना ही समझ लीजिये हमारे लिए ठेकुआ भी।🙏

We kind of worship them. As in prasad, we offer Thekua during the greatest and biggest festival of Bihar.

By now you must be known, where THEKUA lies for us.☺️

P.S.- Images added are from my own home (farmhouse) at my village, hardly 20 km from Munger, during last year Chhath Puja.🙏🌸 No wonder, I know whoever is feeling connected with this blog must be having more great pictures from their hometown, from their archives. This is from mine to you! This post is for my special one, for my Dadi Maa. For me, Thekua is Chhath Puja, and Chhath Puja is दादी माँ का घर, and Dadi ka Ghar is दादी माँ.❤️🙏

Thanks for reading. See you again very soooooon…Keep showering your Love!✍️

~✍️ By ANKITA AMAN 9 (Follow me@: _belle_valle).