Dangra Tilkut's Aroma Reaches London, US Markets

Gaya has around 30 Tilkut shops and during winters, Tilkuts worth crores are sold, earning a good profit for the sellers who prepare in quintals.

Gaya: The famous sesame seeds laddoos of Dangra, a small village in Gaya, are gaining demand in the international markets as people are sending the sweets to relatives in London and the US.

Known as Dangra Tilkut in local parlance, it's quite popular in India's neighbours -- Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other countries. The item is consumed in Makar Sankranti as a symbolic dish.

Many places in Gaya including Ramna Road and Tikari Road prepare the sweets and it's said that the jaggery Tilkut was invented in Dangra. Gaya has around 30 Tilkut shops and during winters, Tilkuts worth crores are sold, earning a good profit for the sellers who prepare quintals of the sweet which is supplied to Bihar, Jharkhand, Kolkata, Delhi and Odisha. Traders from many states place orders in tonnes and the business fetches three-month employment to over 1,000 people.

But what's the secret behind Dangra Tilkut? It's nothing but the water of Dagra that makes it so aromatic. Villagers say Gatta is prepared by boiling water and jaggery with the addition of sesame seeds. The mixture is heated for a while before being given the shape of Tilkut by deft artisans.

An artisan prepares Tilkut in Dangra (ETV Bharat)

"The jaggery Tilkut was invented in Dangra. Ramna Road is known for the famed Tilkut and sugar Tilkut is mainly made there. Whereas, only jaggery Tilkut is made in Dangra. The sugar Tilkut started being made after the invention of jaggery Tilkut," Karu Gupta Prasad, a businessman said.

Businessman Manoj Kumar Gupta alias Pappu said everywhere the ingredients for Tilkut are prepared in iron pans. In Dangra, it is prepared only in clay pots which leaves an aroma to the sweets. The water also plays a special role in making the taste.

"This winter, I have sent Dangra Tilkut to my family in Pakistan. It's delicious. People here have been running the Tilkut business for generations. Dangra is famous for its jaggery Tilkut, being made for over a century. Tilkut from here goes to Delhi, Orissa, Ranchi, Bengal, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Kuwait and America as per the demand," Mohammad Sultan, a customer, said.