From being lauded by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore to finding a place in the pages of literature Dwarik’s Grandsons is a legacy that needs to be explored. Serving the best sweets in town for over 100 years, the store has been a leader in forging newer paths when ‘trend’ wasn’t even an often used word. As Durga Puja rings in this year, we explore this heritage eatery by going down the memory lane with its fifth generation entrepreneur Rohit Raj Ghosh, who takes us through not only the history, but gives a glimpse of what awaits you when you walk in, anytime during the festivities and how the flavours and the tradition keeps up with changing times.
Tracing the history
We kicked off our conversation with the history of the establishment. Rohit recalls, “Dwarikanath Ghosh was the founder and our forefather who started this place in 1925. But his journey started from Shyampukur, a place near Shobabazaar in 1885 a few years prior. That was the first shop. He shifted base from Howrah to Kolkata to set up his confectionery business. His second son, Nishikanta Ghosh had taken the business to a different height altogether. It was initially known as Dwarikanath Ghosh and Sons Limited then it became Dwarik Sweets India Limited because it had a tie up with the East India Company.”
Starting a legacy of firsts, “We would be the first who started vegetarian catering. This building itself had a restaurant on top. It was a proper sit-and-eat with cabin facilities. We had eminent customers like Rabindranath Tagore who was instrumental in calling Dwarik ‘Banglar prothom rashosroshtha’. In Mani Sankar Mukhopadhya’s novel Eka Eka Ekashi there is a reference of Dwarik’s. During the coronation dinner of King George V probably in Town Hall, the sweets were ordered from us. Dr Bidhan Chandra Ray used to frequent us and preferred the Golapi pera.” continued Rohit.
What to check out?
When you walk in this time you can check out your favourites. And for those who will be visiting for the first time, here’s what you should not miss. “For the savoury items, we have the traditional breakfast for Durga Puja. The Radha Ballavi, which we started in 1972; along with that we have the Shingara. We also have a variant – Phoolkopi shingara during the winters. There is the vegetable chop, a more modern variety and of course the traditional Khasta kachuri. We would definitely recommend trying the breakfast because it’s traditional and during Durga Puja we feel connected to our Bengali roots.”
Talking about the sweets on offer, “We suggest the Shawrbhaja which is very different from the ones found elsewhere. We have a Labanya Sandesh which people have been ordering in for their weddings also. You get a variant in Nolen gur during the winters. We have our Himsagar Sandesh which has a filling of mango jelly. During Durga Puja it’s warm and humid so people enjoy this sweet scent of mango. There’s also the Mango Sandesh for those who have become health conscious and prefer a lesser sweet variant. Also, since people would be pandal hopping and roaming everywhere, I would make a special mention of Misthi doi and Mango doi, which we added a couple of years back and has been selling like hot cakes ever since.”
Going Strong over generations
Keeping the flavours and items intact for generations over is a huge milestone in itself. We discuss how the flavours have been significantly maintained over the years. “Definitely we have our signature recipes documented. We have had artisans who have supported us for generations. They come down from Hooghly, Burdwan, Midnapore, and Howrah. If there is a senior resource, they give a hand holding and on the job teaching to the junior ones. That’s how the legacy gets passed on.”
Getting to know the legacy
Talking about the instances that led him to connect with the legacy he is now a part of and his fondest memories of the shop, Rohit mentions, “Maybe my parents had to pick me up from school and I used to wait here for a couple of hours. I used to think back then why do so many people come and visit us. Once during Teacher’s Day at school I presented my teacher with a box of sweets and she instantly recognised them. That stuck me and I came and told me parents about it. Then they made me aware of the family heritage and I also researched from my end.”
The ‘next first’….
Dwarik’s has in its time shown the path by being a leader. What would the next generations pave the path for? “The ‘next first’ probably would be a restaurant; a restaurant that provides sweet and savoury items through a localized meal. Since I am fond of history, I would like to revive the older things that we had, that look and feel, that sit-down arrangement. The menu would have localised food that would revive the old-world charm of Bengal.”
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