Pune: As the Ganesh festival begins, households across the region are preparing their offerings (prasad) for the ten-day celebration.

While different families follow their own traditions when preparing prasad, the modak—a sweet dumpling considered to be Lord Ganesha's favorite—continues to reign supreme. During the festival, various kinds of modak, such as fried, wheat-based, and steamed (ukdiche) modak, are prepared at home.

However, for devotees who are unable to make modak at home, the demand for store-bought versions is growing. Sweets vendors have reported a sharp increase in orders for modak made from ingredients such as khoya (thickened milk), cream, saffron, and even chocolate.

This year, fig and Cadbury modak are among the most sought-after by customers, according to local sweet sellers.

Homemade Steamed Modak

Traditionally a part of Konkani cuisine, steamed modak (ukadiche modak) is becoming increasingly popular in urban areas. This year, devotees are opting to make their first offering of the festival with these handmade modak.

Sweet makers specializing in steamed modak have been receiving pre-orders as early as fifteen days in advance. Due to the growing demand, many vendors have already started preparing their batches a week before the festival.

These homemade steamed modak are particularly popular for important festival moments such as the first day of the celebration, haldi-kumkum ceremonies for Goddess Gauri, and aartis at public Ganesh mandals. The price per steamed modak ranges between ₹30 and ₹35.

Sweet shop owners and vendors have noticed a marked increase in pre-orders compared to previous years. Many shops have geared up to offer a variety of modak, including khoya modak, chocolate modak, saffron modak, fig modak, Cadbury modak, coconut modak, cream modak, and dry fruit modak.

Subhash Bansal, Managing Director of Pradeep Sweets, said, "We have been offering various types of modak every year. This year, we are seeing a rise in demand for steamed modak along with our usual khoya varieties. Compared to last year, the number of pre-orders has increased."

Vrushali Bhagat, a vendor specializing in homemade modak, shared, "We started accepting orders for steamed modak immediately after the Dahi Handi celebrations. There is a large customer base in the city for these modak, and on the first day alone, we received an order for 500 pieces.

Over the next ten days, we expect daily orders of 200 to 300 modak. Since preparing modak is labor-intensive, we are accepting only limited orders."