Why nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar wants you to eat Shakkarpara this Diwali

Think of homemade Diwali sweets and the one name that comes to mind is Shakkarpara, which is also known as Shakkarpala or Shankarpala. It’s a crunchy sweet delight made with all-purpose flour, ghee, water, and sugar syrup. In the present time, the readily available exotic sweets and desserts have overpowered our taste palate, the charm of this Indian sweet is losing every year. While many people have been avoiding it because of health reasons, considering maida as the key ingredient of this dish; Rujuta Diwekar, a celebrity nutritionist and author has recently shared a post on Facebook. She has beautifully presented the meaning of this crunchy delight that is surely beyond taste and nutritional values. Have a look:
(Image courtesy: Facebook/RujutaDiwekar)

Rujuta recalls that in early times, if not the rolling of dough, the cutting of the Shankarpala in squares and rectangles was invariably done by the kids of the household. Her post reads, “And all this while listening to stories of your mom and grandmom about their time during Diwali, essentially it was a window to family history and of changing times.”

Rujuta has beautifully mentioned the fact that kids of all genders are involved, which sends out a message that kitchen activities are all-encompassing and those gender roles must be questioned. But it’s done in a gentle way, one that doesn’t involve conflict or confrontation and is a safe way to absorb a life-changing message.

She has also mentioned how Shakkapara helps the economy. According to her post, if not made at home, these sweets would come from small women cooperatives or from the home of underprivileged women who had the chance to make more money during the Diwali season. This money would often be used for purposes like children’s education, a small trip to the native village or an extra deposit in the bank.

Last, but not the least the contribution that homemade Shakkarpara can make is towards the environment. As per Rujuta’s post, since this meant family time together, no fuel would be burned to go to a mall or eat/buy things in there that come in non-biodegradable packaging. Shakkarpala is born out of the collective wisdom of using local ingredients and turning them into native meals, reducing the carbon footprint too.

So, do you agree with these points raised by Rujuta keeping the delicious Shakkapara and its role during Diwali? If yes, her concluding note will surely persuade you to make them this Diwali, which says, “Food is all-encompassing, and it’s important to understand that if you want to leave behind a meaningful Diwali for generations to come. Otherwise, it will get limited to deals and shopping, and that will be truly sad.”