Soan Papdi=Diwali!
Sweet moments, sweeter bites—Soan Papdi delights every time.
Long before glossy chocolate hampers and imported pralines took over Diwali shelves, in the narrow lanes of Old Delhi, Agra, and Indore, Halwais would pour molten sugar on large iron slabs, stretch it, fold it, stretch it again hundreds of times until it turned into golden threads so fine they could melt on your tongue. The artistry is evident in the precise techniques, ornate decorations that are crafted by skilled artisans and passed down through families. To watch Sohan Papdi being made was like watching magic take form from the simplest ingredients gram flour, ghee, sugar, and cardamom.
In India, the tradition of making and sharing sweets is integral to cultural celebrations and rituals. Sohan Papdi was once royalty. The pride of halwais, the darling of Indian sweet shops, the flaky sweet symbol of layers of celebration.Popular in north India,its believed to have evolved from the Persian sweet sohan pashmaki. Nowadays, thanks to the corporate gift culture, a shiny packet of machine made affordable Patissa is generic in the Diwali gift hamper. So Soan Papdi gets passed around more than it gets opened,leading to an explosion of memes on social media.
Diwali is just around the corner and social media is already flooded with witty memes on soan Papdi or Patissa. Compared to our all-time favourites — Gulab Jamun, Rasgulla, Kaju Katli, and Barfi — the poor Soan Papdi didn’t even make the cut in online searches.Traditional soan papdi is made with large amounts of refined sugar and refined palm or hydrogenated oils, which are calorie-dense and nutrient-poor.
Your hand automatically reaches out for another piece of Kaju Katli because it isn’t too heavy and the spongy texture of Rasgulla refreshes your palate but the poor 'sasta and tikau' soan halwa leaves you with a lot of guilt. However inspite of losing the popularity contest every year, it returns with vengeance every Diwali in brighter and shinier boxes to grab your attention. And the game of passing the gift pack continues.
Despite the trolling,The India Soan Papdi Market was valued at over $141 million in 2025 and is projected to grow significantly, indicating strong commercial demand."In the world full of soan papdi, be someone's kaju katli" Whether you like it or not, you cant ignore this much maligned sweet.
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