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Ballia Mathaura sweet: Filled with the aroma of millet, tisi, fenugreek, desi ghee and jaggery, this Mathaura winter special sweet of Ballia still resides in the hearts of people with the same warmth as it once resided in the kitchens of grandmothers. Bharat has been keeping this lost heritage alive for the last 40 years in Gudri Bazaar.
Baliya: As soon as the aroma of millet, jaggery and desi ghee rises, childhood memories suddenly become fresh. A small bite of Mathura brings warmth to the heart. As soon as winter begins, a special smell of ghee, jaggery and roasted grains starts floating in the streets of Ballia. This fragrance takes you to your grandmother’s kitchen. You have correctly identified that we are talking about the traditional desi sweet ‘Mathura’, which is still winning the hearts of people with its simplicity and strength even in the era of bright rasgullas and gulab jamuns. Its wonderful taste is still the same as before.
Bharat, a resident of Chaman Singh Bagh Road in Ballia district, has been selling his stall in Gudri market for the last 40 years. They are the true guardians of this lost Indian heritage. Bharat tells that this sweet was the special winter medicine of his ancestors. Earlier this Mathura was made in almost every house, but now it is available only at a few places. As special as this sweet is, its recipe is equally desi and interesting.
How is Mathura made?
To make Mathura, millet, linseed (linseed) and fenugreek are roasted well on low flame and ground. After this, add desi ghee and jaggery syrup (paag) and make small round laddus. Dry fruits are also added to it to enhance taste and health. This sweet is a unique combination of winter energy, nutrition, warmth of memories and desi taste. Even though today Mathura is being sold at Rs 200 per kg, Bharat says that when he started, its price was Rs 30 per kg. The price has changed, but the taste and desi quality is still the same.
Mathura is liked not only in Ballia but far away. Shamsher Ali, who came from Kanpur, says, ‘Every winter we come to Ballia especially to buy this sweet. The whole family waits for this. Whereas for Rajendra Prajapati, this sweet is not just a taste but also a memory of his mother. His mother used to make this Mathura at home, so it is sentimental for him.
