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5 Karnataka sweets that should

be in your Diwali gift box
PREMIUM

Discover where to shop for delicious Karnataka

sweets including Holige, Kayi Kadubu, Mysore
Pak, Dharwad Peda, and Kardant, in Bengaluru
for Deepavali, adding an authentic touch to
your celebrations

November 10, 2023 01:03 pm | Updated November 11, 2023 01:13 pm IST

SWATHI NAIR

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Karnataka sweet gift box by Anand Sweets | Photo Credit: Special

arrangement

Deepavali, the festival of lights, embodies joy and

celebration, symbolizing the triumph of light over
darkness and good over evil. Among its most
cherished traditions is the sharing of sweets.

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In 2023, mark November 12 on your calendar, as

Diwali falls on a Sunday, granting you the luxury
of Friday evening and Saturday to indulge in your
Diwali sweet shopping. As you plan for this year’s
festivities, why not curate a Karnataka sweet box
for your loved ones? Karnataka, renowned for its
rich culinary heritage, boasts a tempting array of
sweets that are unique to the state, including
holige, kayi kadubu, Mysore pak, and more.

Here are some delightful Karnataka sweets you

can grab at the last minute in Bengaluru to add
an authentic touch to your Diwali celebrations.

Holige (Obattu)

Bele holige at Oota, Whitefield | Photo Credit: Special

arrangement

When it comes to sweets, the all-time favorite

treat served in Karnataka during Diwali is
undoubtedly holige, also known as obattu in
certain regions of the state. Holige is a sweet
flatbread concocted from maida, blended with
small measures of wheat flour, salt, and turmeric.
It is typically filled with ingredients, such as dal,
jaggery, or coconut.

“The name of this sweet varies based on the

specific part of Karnataka where it’s prepared. In
the bordering areas with Andhra, it’s referred to
as obattu, while in the rest of the state, it goes by
the name holige,” says chef Mandaar Sukhtankar
of Oota, Whitefield.

During the Deepavali season, you can find three

distinct variations of holige that are popular.
There is the shenga holige, made with peanuts,
the kai holige, features a combination of coconut
and jaggery and the belle holige, made with dal
and jaggery, stands out as a top choice across
Karnataka.

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Where to buy: Oota, Whitefield Price: ₹265 per

serving

Kayi Kadubu

Kayi kadubu at Oota, Whitefield | Photo Credit: Special

arrangement

Another beloved sweet in Karnataka during

Diwali is the kayi kadabu, a dumpling made from
rice or maida and filled with coconut and jaggery.
These kadabus come in two distinctive shapes:
one resembling a karanji or gujia, and the other
resembling a modak.

“Both styles are typically filled with a mixture of

coconut, jaggery, and elaichi, or they can also
feature a filling of dal, jaggery, and elaichi,” says
Mandaar. The outer covering can be made from
rice flour or occasionally from maida. If it is a
fried kadabu, it is usually encased in maida, while
for steamed kadabus, the covering is made from
either maida or rice flour.

Where to buy: Oota, Whitefield Price: ₹265 per

serving

Mysore Pak

Mysore pak at MTR Sweets | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Mysore pak, celebrated as the monarch of

southern Indian sweets, is a beloved treat in
Karnataka households during the festive season.
Its origins can be traced to the 19th century when
the royal chef Kakasura Madappa created this
dessert in the Royal Palace of Mysore for
Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, the reigning monarch of
erstwhile Mysore.

Drawing from his culinary prowess, Madappa

fashioned a soft pak (mixture) by skillfully
blending besan (gram flour), sugar, and ghee. This
sweet became an instant hit and was swiftly
accorded the esteemed title of the “royal sweet.”
The king held such an affection for this creation
that he chose to name it after the city of Mysore
itself.

“During Diwali, our stores see an uptake in our

Mysore pak,” says Hemamalini Maiya, managing
partner, MTR.

Where to buy: MTR Sweets Price: ₹950 per

kilogram

Dharwad Peda

Dharwad peda | Photo Credit: Bhagya Prakash K

Dharwad peda has a rich history spanning over

150 years, attributed to the Thakur family, who
relocated from Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, to Dharwad
in Karnataka during the early 19th century due to
a plague outbreak in their hometown. Ram Ratan
Singh Thakur, a pioneering confectioner,
commenced the production and local distribution
of pedas. He made them using the milk of
Dharwadi buffaloes, a breed nurtured by the
Gavali community in and around Dharwad.

The family upholds a longstanding tradition of

safeguarding the peda recipe as an exclusive trade
secret, passing it down through generations.
Babusingh Thakur’s initial single-store venture,
which had operated for numerous decades,
subsequently expanded to include outlets in
Dharwad, Hubli, Bengaluru, Belagavi, and Haveri.

Where to buy: Dharwad Babu Singh Thakur

Pedha Price: ₹750 per kilogram

Kardant

Karadant at Anand Sweets | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Kardant, also known as karadantu, originates

from Gokak in the Belagavi district of north
Karnataka. Traditionally prepared with dried
coconut, nuts, seeds, and edible gum, it offers a
chewy texture. The name kardant, in Kannada,
means fried edible gum.

This sweet has been a staple in the city’s local

markets since pre-Independence days, containing
nourishing ingredients like raw coconut, jaggery,
and finely chopped nuts such as almonds,
pistachios, and cashews. Amingad town in
Bagalkot district, Karnataka, is also well-known
for the karadantu produced in its sweet shops.

Where to buy: Anand Sweets Price: ₹1,040 per

kilogram

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