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‘Chocolate‘, the word has such power that it can make a person’s day. Hearing it instantly brings energy and happiness that no other sweet brings. Whether it be any festival like Diwali or a special occasion like Valentine’s day, chocolates are the epitome of gifting happiness to your friends and family. Although, we all crave chocolates 24×7, let’s also know how chocolate came into being and some of its benefits!!

Do you know that chocolate is one of the oldest sweets in the world? The history of chocolates dates back to the Mayans, Aztecs, and Olmecs of Southern Mexico. According to some research, there are traces in the Olmec culture that are from around 1500 B.C. They passed their recipes to the Mayans, who not only consumed it but also revered it. The Aztecs believe the Gods presented them with Cacao. They used cacao beans as a form of currency to purchase their groceries and valued it ‘more than gold’!! Interestingly, chocolate is extracted from the fruit of cacao and the fruit or pods consists of 40 beans. Cocoa beans are made after drying and roasting to bring out their flavour, however, some question about their nutritional values!!

We all love chocolate and consuming it isn’t as harmful as you think. There are some benefits to consuming chocolate, some are-

• One research suggests that consuming chocolate helps reduce bad cholesterol.
• It also helps in cognitive function, which means, it helps in keeping the brain healthy by improving the blood flow in required parts.
• It also helps in lowering the risk of any type of heart disease and reduces the chances of any stroke.
• A little consumption of dark chocolate helps in boosting antioxidants and oxygen availability during any workout.
• Certain amounts of chocolate help your skin protect it from harmful sun rays.

So, for all those fitness enthusiasts, you can easily add chocolate to your diet!!  Chocolate is one of the most loved sweets in the world and there is a never-ending demand for it in different forms.

Over the years we have seen chocolate in various forms and companies developing different types of products to attract consumers. We have common chocolate bars, which are available readily in all types of stores. Chocolate cakes are some of the most common forms for any festive or celebratory occasions. People use chocolate powder and mix it in hot or cold milk to make a sweet beverage. There are also chocolate balls, fudge, and coating (used on cakes as a glaze) as well among other forms. Among its various forms, there is no single type of chocolate.

Chocolate as a term is ambiguous and can be divided into different types according to its taste and use. The first and the most common is Milk Chocolate, which is sweet and contains milk with cocoa powder. Then there is White Chocolate, which doesn’t contain any cocoa. It consists of milk solids which gives it that white colour. A bitter taste of Dark Chocolate is not everyone’s forte as it consists of a high proportion of cocoa and less milk. Lastly, there is Unsweetened Chocolate, which is pure chocolate liquor and is called baking chocolate. The chocolate industry is vast and there are several competitors vying for the top spot.

But what are some of the top chocolatiers?? European countries like Switzerland and Belgium are the chocolate capitals in the world. Also, leading brands like Cadbury, Ferrero, Guliyan, Hershey’s, Lindt, just to name a few are some of the best brands and have the finest quality of chocolates.

All in all, we all know that chocolate is a sweet that is loved by all age groups and we all consider it as one of our best friends!! 

तिळ गुळ घ्या गोड गोड बोला!! is a common expression said while offering Tilgul laddus to guests during the festival of Makar Sankranti. Interestingly, this festival falls on the same day almost every year!!

 Well, Makar Sankranti celebrates the farmer’s harvest and occurs in the month of Magha to mark the Winter Solstice. People dedicate their prayers to the Sun God, Surya, and thank him for their successes and prosperity.

Sankranti is celebrated differently in each state and the festival is known by different names like Makara Jyothi in Kerala, Til Sankrant in Bihar, Odisha’s Makara Chaula, or Maghi in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab.

The rituals to celebrate this festival vary from state to state as some people take a dip in rivers like Ganga, or the Yamuna. Some organise melas or fairs, the most famous being Kumbh Mela, held every four years at one of the four holy locations.

In Uttar Pradesh, it’s called Kicheri, which involves ritual bathing. Several people gather at their respective sacred places for holy bathing and have to bathe early in the morning while fasting. Kite flying is an age-old ritual that involves kite fighting with friends and people from the neighborhood.

It is a four-day festival in Tamil Nadu, where the first day is called Bhogi. Commemorations are started by discarding and destroying old clothes and other things by lighting them on fire. The second day is called Thai Pongal and is the central day of the festival. They celebrate by cooking rice with milk and jaggery in brand new pots, garnished with brown sugar and dry fruits. Maattu Pongal is the third day, where people offer thanks to their cattle. The fourth and final day is Kaanum Pongal, where people visit their friends and family to convey thanks for their help in the harvest.

Maghi is a religious festival in Punjab. Lohri is marked a day before this festival where they celebrate the new harvest and praise the Sun God, Surya. People light lamps with sesame oil as it brings prosperity and drives away all sins. People dance their Bhangra and sit together to eat delicious food such as kheer and khichadi with some jaggery.

Maharashtra celebrates Makar Sankranti with the gifting of sweets like Gajar ka Halwa, Tilgul Laddu, and Puran Poli. According to folklore, Lord Surya reconciled with his son, Shani, and because of this, Lord Surya visited Shani’s house on Sankranti. That is why people gift sweets to others to forget negative feelings. Traditionally, women wear black clothes as it adds warmth to the body in the winter season. Married women invite friends and family members for Haldi-Kunku, where guests provided Tilgul laddus and a small gift.

The exchanging of Tilgul is understood as a token of goodwill to guests and is greeted with the phrase Tilgul Ghya, aani god-god bola meaning accept this tilgul laddu and speak kind words. The thought behind this is to forget all the bad feelings and resolve them to talk sweetly and remain friends.

Til (Sesame Seeds) and Gud (Jaggery) are winter food as they keep your body warm and increases your immunity as well. While Hindu mythology regards them as a symbol of Immortality, it helps support a healthy digestive system, maintains bone health, and helps generate body heat. Gud contains Iron and Vitamin C and is a traditional remedy for throat problems and some respiratory disorders.

Even though the Sankranti celebrations differ from state to state, til and gud are the hero ingredients to any sweet prepared during this festivity.

To all our Nativites, we wish you a prosperous and happy Makar Sankranti!!