Famous ‘Rajjar Methai’ attracts crowds

Delicious quality of the sweet differentiates it from other confectioneries in local markets due to its superior taste

PESHAWAR:

Made of ‘gur’, the traditional ‘Rajjar Methai’ (sweet) of Charsadda district has attracted a large number of buyers during Eid.

Rajjar, a small bazaar of Charsadda district with many sweet shops, drew sweet lovers in droves from across the province, especially from Peshawar, Mardan, Mohmand, Khyber, Swabi and Nowshera districts, due to its affordable price and delicious taste.

Located about a kilometre north of Charsadda city, Rajjar Bazaar has now turned into a sweets market where big crowds of buyers are being witnessed at all bakery shops these days.

The traditional sweet has been bought in substantial quantities in Peshawar, Charsadda, Swabi, Nowshera and Mardan districts where Rajjar sweets are selling like hot cakes.

Consumers could be seen standing in long queues in front of sweet shops awaiting their turn to buy the famous tasty sweet that is now closely identified with Charsadda district.

Muhammad Yaqoob, an owner of a sweet shop, said his business had been started by his grandfather, Israruddin alias Chacha Halwai, in 1930 and that he was proud to continue his legacy and be the third generation of his family to run the business.

The delicious quality of the sweet differentiates it from the other confectioneries in local markets due to its superior taste and its chemical-free recipe and affordable price.

People serve it to relatives, friends and guests as a special gift on Eid, weddings, engagements and children’s birthday parties to strengthen bonds of love and friendship.

The treat is a preferred choice for both blue and white collar people and sells for Rs450-500 per kilogram at local markets.

Haji Yaqoob said the recipe for the popular sweet had changed over the years, adding that only butter, flour and gur had been used by his grandfather in its preparation as sugar was not easily available back then. Nowadays, he said, it was being prepared with various ingredients including desi ghee, milk, butter, gur and white flour to enhance its taste.

He said about 55,000 to 65,000 people are currently directly or indirectly associated with the business.

The popular sweet also draws customers from Afghanistan and the Central Asian republics and is also sent to friends and family across the subcontinent by locals.

Orders placed by traders from different parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, Azad Kashmir and Punjab during Eid are enormous.

Traders in Peshawar have made substantial investments in the delicacy by purchasing huge stocks of the confectionery for their outlets to cater to high consumer demand during Eid.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 14^th, 2024.