From gold coated sweets to firecracker hampers: Lucknow’s festive sweets gets a royal makeover

On the occasion of Diwali, the great festival of lights, the sweet market of Lucknow, the city of Nawabs, is ablaze with taste, innovation and royal grandeur.

A unique blend of tradition and modernity, sweet hampers decorated with firecracker-themed string bombs and rockets are attracting customers; a special 'gold-plated' sweet, priced at ₹60,000 per kg, is the main focus of discussion, as per a News18 report.

Gold-coated ‘Exotica’

The headline attraction is Exotica, a gold-plated royal sweet sold by Chhappan Bhog.

According to the report, shopkeeper Kshitij said the confection is coated with a layer of gold and uses ingredients sourced from different parts of the world. Its ingredients include blueberries from the United States, pistachios from Iran, almonds from Afghanistan, macadamia and Brazil nuts from South Africa, chilgoza from Kinnaur, and Kashmiri saffron.

Kshitij said the sweet was first introduced in 2009 at ₹25,000 per kg.

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Baklava gains popularity

Alongside traditional mithai, bakeries and sweet shops are reporting rising interest in baklava. The flaky, nut-filled pastry has emerged as one of the fastest-selling premium festive items, with shops also offering variants such as kaju katli baklava.

Other high-demand products include fig, date and mango-based sweets, along with chhena, khoya, motichoor laddoos, milk cake, son papdi and white chocolate preparations. Retailers said customers are increasingly seeking both indulgence and healthier ingredient choices.

Creative festive packaging

This Diwali, Lucknow’s markets are also adding a novel twist to gifting with sweet and dry-fruit hampers designed around firecracker and parachute themes.

While traditional sweet boxes remain popular, some hampers are being packed in red cylinder-shaped containers resembling firecrackers, while others take the form of green string bombs, pomegranates and chakris.

Rocket-themed gift sets are also attracting buyers, and hampers designed like parachutes have emerged as a major centre of attraction. The innovative packaging is making festive gifting more distinctive, adding visual appeal to the celebration alongside the sweets and dry fruits inside.

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Festive sales surge

Kaju katli remains a major Diwali seller, with prices reported between ₹1,400 and ₹5,000 per kg.

Shopkeepers said sales this season are higher than in previous years, driven by gift purchases and large corporate orders.

More than 3,000 small and large sweet shops across Lucknow have been decorated for the festival.