However, this is not the cloying sweetness of summer ice creams, but the rich, nourishing sweetness of and ghee .

Meanwhile, in the North and West, the season marks the arrival of the . Walking through markets in Maharashtra or Delhi, you will find mountains of these brittle treats. They are not just snacks; they are nutritional powerhouses designed to build resistance against the approaching winter chill.

Then comes the break. in eastern India is less a meal and more a religious experience for food lovers. The sound of the dhak (drum) is the dinner bell. In Kolkata, the streets become open-air kitchens. You haven’t lived until you’ve stood under a pandal’s fairy lights, biting into a luchi (puffy, deep-fried flatbread) with a side of alur dom (spicy, syrupy potato curry). But the real crown jewel is the bhog —the offering to the Goddess. The Khichuri (a mushy blend of rice, moong dal, and seasonal vegetables like cauliflower and peas) served with labra (mixed veg curry), fried brinjal, and a dollop of payesh (rice pudding) is the taste of divine benevolence. It is simple, yet infinitely complex in its spicing—ginger, bay leaves, and whole cumin.