No festivity is complete without sweets and snacks, and Diwali is no different. However, in recent years, a significant increase has been observed in the demand for ready-made snacks, as many working women, who are out of the house all day, find it challenging to prepare traditional Diwali treats despite their desire to do so. As a result, the convenience of pre-made festive snacks is becoming increasingly popular among Navi Mumbai’s residents.

To meet this growing demand, local self-help groups, voluntary organizations, and women’s collectives have been hard at work over the past month, producing an array of Diwali favorites such as chivda, besan ladoo, rawa ladoo, shev, karanji, shankarpale, chakali, and anarse. This venture has also provided employment opportunities for many underprivileged women in the area. With ready-made options, both working women and homemakers are choosing the ease of home-delivered snacks over the labour-intensive process of making them from scratch.

However, this year’s celebration comes with a heavier price tag. The costs of essential ingredients, especially cooking oil and dalda, have surged, with edible oil prices increasing by Rs. 40 to Rs. 60 per liter. This has led to a corresponding rise in ready-made snack prices by Rs. 40 to Rs. 60 per kilogram. Basic items like chakli bhajani and karanji now range between Rs. 500 and Rs. 800 per kilogram, adding to the financial strain on consumers.

Koparkhairane resident and snack producer Nitin Nimbalkar and Vidya Nimbalkar shares that each year, the rising costs of groceries compel them to raise their prices. The demand for these snacks continues to climb, not only domestically but also from hotels and institutions seeking to provide Diwali delicacies to their customers.

Here is a breakdown of current prices for popular Diwali snacks per kilogram:

- Bhajani Chakali: Rs. 500–Rs.600

- Karanji: Rs. 500–Rs.550

- Sweet Shankarpali: Rs. 350–Rs.400

- Savory Shankarpali: Rs. 350–Rs.450

- Rava Ladoo (Ghee): Rs. 450–Rs.550

- Besan Ladoo: Rs. 450–Rs.550

- Bundi Ladoo: Rs. 400–Rs.500

- Anarse: Rs. 600–Rs.800

- Chivda: Rs. 350--550

- Nankeen: Rs. 300–Rs.500

- Tikhat Shev: Rs. 300–Rs.450

- Chakali Bhajani Peeth: Rs. 250–Rs.400