12 Traditional Bihari Diwali Sweets

Prashant Dhingra

Bihari festival sweets are rustic and long-keeping: thekua, khaja, anarsa, tilkut, lai and khurma sit beside syrup sweets such as balushahi, malpua and kala jamun.

By Prashant Dhingra

See all 12 sweets Keeping guide

Chart titled 12 Traditional Bihari Diwali Sweets, showing Thekua, Khaja, Anarsa, Balushahi, Malpua, Pedakiya, Lai, Tilkut, Khurma, Khurchan, Kala Jamun, Parwal Ki Mithai

In short

Bihari festival sweets are rustic and long-keeping: thekua, khaja, anarsa, tilkut, lai and khurma sit beside syrup sweets such as balushahi, malpua and kala jamun. Pedakiya, khurchan and the stuffed parwal ki mithai are the special-occasion treats. Several of them carry straight on into Chhath Puja, a few days after Diwali.

Diwali sweets in Bihar

In Bihar, Diwali leads directly into Chhath, so many households cook both festivals' sweets in one long session. Thekua in particular is Chhath prasad. Gaya is known for tilkut and anarsa, and Silao near Nalanda for its khaja.

The 12 sweets

What each one is, what it is made of, and how long it keeps.

01 of 12
Thekua
Fried & crispKeeps 2+ weeks
Wheat flour and jaggery dough pressed into carved wooden molds and fried. The essential Chhath prasad, and it keeps for weeks.

Made with: Wheat flour, jaggery, ghee, coconut, fennel
02 of 12
Khaja
Syrup-soakedKeeps 2+ weeks
A multi-layered, crisp fried pastry soaked in syrup. Silao, near Nalanda, is famous for it.

Made with: Maida, ghee, sugar syrup
03 of 12
Anarsa
Fried & crispKeeps 2+ weeks
Rice-flour and jaggery rounds coated in sesame and fried. The Gaya style is sometimes filled with khoya.

Made with: Rice flour, jaggery or sugar, sesame seeds, khoya filling (optional)
04 of 12
Balushahi
Syrup-soakedKeeps about a week
A flaky fried disc soaked in syrup.

Made with: Maida, ghee, yogurt, sugar syrup
05 of 12
Malpua
Syrup-soakedBest eaten fresh
Fried sweet pancakes dipped in syrup, often served with rabri.

Made with: Flour, milk, sugar syrup, fennel
06 of 12
Pedakiya
Stuffed pastry & flatbreadKeeps about a week
Bihar's gujiya: a pastry filled with khoya, semolina and dry fruit, fried and sometimes dipped in syrup.

Made with: Maida, khoya, semolina, coconut, dry fruit
07 of 12
Lai
Brittle & crunchyKeeps 2+ weeks
Puffed amaranth (ramdana) or puffed rice bound with jaggery into balls or bars.

Made with: Puffed amaranth or rice, jaggery
08 of 12
Tilkut
Brittle & crunchyKeeps 2+ weeks
Sesame pounded with jaggery or sugar into thin, crisp discs. Gaya's specialty, made through winter.

Made with: Sesame seeds, jaggery or sugar
09 of 12
Khurma
Fried & crispKeeps 2+ weeks
Small fried dough pieces coated in syrup that crystallizes into a white sugar shell.

Made with: Maida, ghee, sugar syrup
10 of 12
Khurchan
Milk & chhenaRefrigerate, 2 to 4 days
Layers of cream scraped from slowly simmered milk, sweetened and stacked.

Made with: Milk cream, sugar
11 of 12
Kala Jamun
Syrup-soakedRefrigerate, 2 to 4 days
A darker, longer-fried gulab jamun, sometimes with a sweet filling.

Made with: Khoya, chhena, sugar syrup
12 of 12
Parwal Ki Mithai
Milk & chhenaRefrigerate, 2 to 4 days
Pointed gourd peeled, hollowed, candied in syrup and stuffed with sweet khoya and nuts.

Made with: Pointed gourd (parwal), sugar syrup, khoya, nuts

At a glance: type and keeping time

Make the long-keeping sweets first and the milk-based ones last. Keeping times are typical for homemade sweets in an airtight container in a cool kitchen; shop-bought sweets may differ.

Sweet	Type	Keeps
Thekua	Fried & crisp	Keeps 2+ weeks
Khaja	Syrup-soaked	Keeps 2+ weeks
Anarsa	Fried & crisp	Keeps 2+ weeks
Balushahi	Syrup-soaked	Keeps about a week
Malpua	Syrup-soaked	Best eaten fresh
Pedakiya	Stuffed pastry & flatbread	Keeps about a week
Lai	Brittle & crunchy	Keeps 2+ weeks
Tilkut	Brittle & crunchy	Keeps 2+ weeks
Khurma	Fried & crisp	Keeps 2+ weeks
Khurchan	Milk & chhena	Refrigerate, 2 to 4 days
Kala Jamun	Syrup-soaked	Refrigerate, 2 to 4 days
Parwal Ki Mithai	Milk & chhena	Refrigerate, 2 to 4 days

Related sweets in other states

Anarsa: soaked rice flour and jaggery dough, rested, then fried. Related: Anarsa (Maharashtra), Ariselu (Andhra Pradesh), Adhirasam (Tamil Nadu).
Pedakiya: a sealed half-moon pastry with a dry sweet filling, fried crisp. Related: Karanji (Maharashtra), Kajjikayalu (Andhra Pradesh), Karjikai (Karnataka), Ghughra (Gujarat), Somas (Tamil Nadu).
Balushahi: a layered fried dough disc finished in syrup. Related: Balushahi (Rajasthan), Badusha (Karnataka), Badusha (Tamil Nadu).
Khaja: many thin layers fried crisp, then sugared or soaked. Related: Chirote (Maharashtra), Chiroti (Karnataka), Kakinada Kaja (Andhra Pradesh), Madatha Kaja (Andhra Pradesh).
Tilkut: winter sweets of sesame bound with jaggery. Related: Gajak (Rajasthan), Til-Gud Ladoo (Laddoos).

Frequently asked questions

What are the most popular Bihari Diwali sweets?

Bihari festival sweets are rustic and long-keeping: thekua, khaja, anarsa, tilkut, lai and khurma sit beside syrup sweets such as balushahi, malpua and kala jamun. Pedakiya, khurchan and the stuffed parwal ki mithai are the special-occasion treats. Several of them carry straight on into Chhath Puja, a few days after Diwali.

Which Bihari Diwali sweets keep longest for gifting?

Thekua, Khaja, Anarsa, Lai, Tilkut and Khurma keep for two weeks or more in an airtight container, so they can be made first and are the safest to gift or courier.

Which Bihari Diwali sweets need to be made last or refrigerated?

Malpua, Khurchan, Kala Jamun and Parwal Ki Mithai are milk-, chhena-, curd- or fresh-coconut based or best served warm. Make them a day or two ahead at most, refrigerate, and serve within a few days.

Which other states make similar sweets?

Rice and jaggery fried discs: Anarsa (Maharashtra), Ariselu (Andhra Pradesh), Adhirasam (Tamil Nadu). Crimped crescent pastries: Karanji (Maharashtra), Kajjikayalu (Andhra Pradesh), Karjikai (Karnataka), Ghughra (Gujarat), Somas (Tamil Nadu). Flaky syrup-soaked discs: Balushahi (Rajasthan), Badusha (Karnataka), Badusha (Tamil Nadu). Layered fried pastries: Chirote (Maharashtra), Chiroti (Karnataka), Kakinada Kaja (Andhra Pradesh), Madatha Kaja (Andhra Pradesh). Sesame and jaggery: Gajak (Rajasthan), Til-Gud Ladoo (Laddoos).