The mere mention of Durga Puja immediately brings to mind delicious and yummy sweets making one eager to have some immediately. The biggest Bengali festival does expect people to eat tasty food and also share it with their loved ones.

To make this happen, Kolkata’s sweet shops are geared up and offering not just traditional but also some novel and innovative flavours. These include agomani sandesh, kiwi sandesh, abar khabo sandesh, chandrapuli and kaju flower. Makeover being the name of the game, now there is butterscotch, sitaphal and blueberry sandesh.

Talking to India Today, Priyanka Mullick of Balaram Mullick Sweet Shop which boasts of many branches in the City of Joy, said:"Durga Puja is the biggest festival for us and a lot of sweets have been made. The latest sandesh that has been launched is a sandesh made of pan flavour. The Tribeni sandesh, malai sandesh is new this time. I think people will like this a lot. Every year we make saradiya and agamani Sandesh.”

Girish Dey and Nakul Chandra Nandy is a sweet shop located in North Kolkata which specialises in selling various varieties of sandesh. Its spokesperson, Partha Dey observed: "There is a demand whole year round, but more so during an occasion like Durga Puja which is a big festival for Bengalis. The same sweets made before Durga Puja are highlighted during Durga Puja like Sitaphal sandesh which is a Durga Puja special.”

Even while the new flavours are winning hearts, the traditional sweets like rosogolla and misti doi are holding fort as many people still like to stick to the tried and tested fare.

People are thronging the shops to pick up their boxes as they are either visiting relatives and friends or they are coming to their homes. Tapan Kumar Dey, a customer told IT, "I have to give sweets to relatives if they come to our house or if we go to their house. Sweets are a must during Durga Puja.”

Also read: In the spirit of universal brotherhood, Muslims revive Durga Puja for their Hindu brethren