The year 1947, divided the nation which was one. The divided parts were called India and Pakistan and a barbed wire appeared between the borders of the now two independent nations. Thousands of Hindus from the Sindh province of newly created Pakistan had migrated to India and they also brought with them, all the recipes of their homeland to this new place which was going to be their home now for good. Karachi Halwa is one such delicacy. On every festival occasion, the people from Sindh necessarily prepare Karachi Halwa and now every household enjoys this delicacy in Barmer as well, which has a huge Sindhi population that migrated from Pakistan.
In Rajasthan’s Barmer, which lies along the Indo-Pak border, delicacies from across the border are very common to find. Those who migrated from Sindh, Pakistan, also brought the recipes to their new place. Karachi Halwa, named after a prominent port city of Pakistan’s Sindh province, Karachi, its taste is magical. In Barmer also, no festival of these migrants is complete if Karachi Halwa is not on the platter. Hemraj Khatri who migrated here in 1991 from Amarkot of Sindh province in Pakistan, is an expert in making Karachi Halwa and on festivals, people flock to his place to buy it.
But the process of making this halwa is very intricate!
It takes 4 to 5 hours to make this halwa. At least 5-6 kg halwa is prepared. Karachi Halwa is of saffron and green colour and has a distinct taste. Hemraj’s son Mukesh says that earlier, his mother used to prepare this halwa but now he is in the business of preparing halwa. Today, from this border area of Barmer, this halwa is adoring the platters of people in Chennai, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Surat, Jaipur and other cities.
The most unique thing about Karachi Halwa is that it lasts for 6 months. The process of making this halwa is very intricate. Wheat is soaked in water for 8 days during which water is changed many times. Then it is dried and made into flour. The white crème that is prepared from this flour is called Nishasta. Mukesh said that ghee, sugar, cashew, almond, pistachio, tijara etc are added into the Nishasta to make Karachi Halwa. Mukesh said that he is carrying the legacy of supplying Karachi Halwa. He prepares three types of Karachi Halwa which have distinct flavours. The one prepared from pistachio is sold for ₹900 per kg, the one prepared from dry fruits is sold for ₹650 per kg and halwa which has less quantity of dry fruits is sold for ₹450 per kg. On Diwali, he generally sells 150 kgs of Karachi Halwa.
India and Pakistan, once where one country stands divided now and often not on good terms. Even this festive season, there is less possibility of a thaw. But this does not stop the migrant population from relishing the delicacies they used to prepare when they were still residing in Pakistan. On festivals, they prepare those delicacies popular in their erstwhile homes
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