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Hazaribagh market is buzzing with Tilkut. The process of making it is going on in about 200 factories. Like every time, this time also there is a lot of fun with jaggery, sugar as well as khoya tilkut. Read the report to know the price
Hazaribagh: As soon as winter arrives, the markets of Hazaribagh are filled with the sweet fragrance of Tilkut. Like every year, this time too the process of manufacturing Tilakut has started in more than 200 factories of the district. This work continues continuously from mid-November to the end of February.
Tilkut prepared in Hazaribagh factories is in demand in many districts of Jharkhand, Bihar as well as West Bengal. Manki Sav, director of Sav Ji Bakery located in Indrapuri, tells that the demand for Tilkut increases the most with the arrival of winter, due to which people get involved in the process of making Tilkut in this season. Its demand remains high till the coming month of February. Tilkut is sold the most during Makar Sankranti.
Making tilkut of jaggery and sugar
He also told that at present Tilkut containing about 60 kg of jaggery and 40 kg of sugar is being prepared daily in the shop. As Makar Sankranti approaches, the pace of production will be increased further. Artisans come from Chatra to make Tilkut. The process of making Tilkut is very delicate and tiring and it takes a lot of hard work to make it.
Khoya Tilkut Rs 450 per kg
Manki Sav says that people have already started coming to his shop to taste Tilkut. Most of the customers prefer Tilkut with jaggery, because it is considered more beneficial from health point of view than Tilkut with sugar. At present, the price of Tilkut containing jaggery and sugar in the market is Rs 300 per kg, while Tilkut filled with khoya is being sold for up to Rs 450 per kg.
Artisan Lalan Sao, resident of Chatra district, has been making Tilkut for the last 15 years. Every year during the four winter months they come to Hazaribagh and engage in this work. He tells that the process of making Tilkut is full of hard work and skill.
This is how Tilkut is made
First of all, syrup is made by boiling jaggery. When the sugar syrup becomes thick and starts drying, it is continuously pulled, due to which fine fibers start forming in it. On the other hand, sesame seeds are roasted and cooled.
When the sesame seeds cool down, they are mixed with jaggery fibres. Then this mixture is slightly heated again and mixed well and after this it is given a round shape. In the final stage, this mixture is beaten about 20 times with a big iron hammer, due to which the correct shape and hardness of Tilkut is prepared. He explains that the biggest risk in this work is of injury to the fingers, because there is always a possibility of hands slipping while shaping the hot mixture.
