Fazilka Sweet Tosha

Tosha' still a favourite sweet among Pakistani FamiliesFazilka (Punjab), Nov.29 (ANI): Tosha, a traditional Punjabi sweetmeat, has been a favorite with both Indians and Pakistanis for generations, and the small Punjabi border town of Fazilka has acquired fame for making this sweetmeat so popular.
"Tosha" in the regional Punjabi language means happiness and satisfaction. In Fazilka, ass many as 45 large and small units churn out this delicacy.
Traders and manufactures of this delicacy feel Tosha has improved its taste and even its appeal since it was brought to India by their ancestors.
"Earlier it was Pakistan's favourite sweet. After the partition of India, our fathers migrated from Pakistan and started making 'Tosha' in Fazilka. In Pakistan, the manufacturers do not use Khoya (or, dried milk) and cottage cheese. Here we use cottage cheese because it makes the sweet softer and tastier. It is no longer black, but golden brown. Even the taste is much better," says Daulat Ram, a manufacturer.
The residents here gift "Tosha" to their loved ones, while visitors take it away as gift to remember Fazilka. A kilogram of "Tosha" costs about 1.5 dollars and can be safely consumed for at least five days. The big manufacturers even supply the sweets to many in \nIndia and even abroad. Many residents living in Fazilka have developed a strong liking for this sweet. They don't hesitate traveling long distances to grab a bite of it. Some say that it is a symbol of friendship between the two sub continental neighbours. "I have traveled to different parts of the country - Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Goa, but I have never found such sweet anywhere. We prefer to gift 'tosha' to our guests. The best thing about "Tosha" is that it is a symbol of friendship between India and Pakistan," said, Manish Bhateja, a customer. Relations between the two neighbours has warmed in the last 20 months Experts believe that apart from the efforts made by both the governments to speed up the peace initiative, cultural and people to people ties can bring out a new dimension to the relation. (ANI)