Babarsa facts for kids
| Alternative names | Babarsa of Kshirpai |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | India |
| Region or state | Khirpai, West Bengal |
| Main ingredients | Milk, Flour, Ghee, Sugar |
Babarsa (also spelled Babarsha) is a special sweet treat from the Khirpai area in West Bengal, India. This delicious dessert first came from a place called Kshirpai. It is mainly made using flour and a type of clarified butter called ghee.
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What's in a Name?
The name "Babarsa" has an interesting story! Around the 1740s, a group of people called the Chardis often attacked the city of Khirpai. Many residents started leaving to escape these attacks. During this time, a person named Edward Babarash was defeated in a battle. A local trader, who was very thankful to Edward, gave him some special food. From then on, the people of Khirpai decided to name this sweet after Edward Babarash.
Some people also believe the sweet was named after Emperor Babur of Delhi. They say this fresh food was given to him. However, there is no strong historical proof for this second idea.
A Sweet History
Babarsa is one of Bengal's oldest and most loved sweets. It has been around for about 250 years! This sweet treat first appeared before 1750 in the ancient town of Khirpai, which is in the Midnapur district. Its unique name comes from "Edward Babar," as mentioned in its origin story.
How Babarsa is Made
Babarsa is traditionally made from simple ingredients like flour, milk, and ghee. Ghee is a type of clarified butter often used in Indian cooking. Sometimes, in markets like Magygandara, it might be fried in dalda (a type of vegetable shortening) instead of ghee.
Once cooked, the sweet is placed into special molds to give it its shape. After it's shaped, it is usually served with a sweet syrup or "juice." In the past, people even used to cover this sweet with honey, making it even more delicious!
Key Ingredients
The main ingredients you need to make Babarsa are:
- Flour
- Milk
- Ghee
Keeping the Tradition Alive
Making traditional sweets like Babarsa can be challenging for the artisans. Many people who used to make Babarsa are now finding other jobs. This is because it can be hard to earn enough money just by making these sweets.
Artisans explain that their families cannot live only by making Babarsa. They work all day, but the money they earn is very little. Because of this, younger generations are not very interested in continuing the tradition.
Years ago, you could buy several Babarsa sweets for a small amount of money. But by 2017, one Babarsa cost about 8 or 10 rupees. It is difficult for sellers to sell them for less than this price. This makes it harder for buyers to afford them, and some people are buying less of this sweet. Many hope that if they get some help, perhaps from the government, they can find a way to keep this special sweet tradition going.
