Asna Urooj
University of Mysore
The desire for sweetness is seen across the globe among all ages, races, religions and cultures. Sweetness has a role in human nutrition in both providing nutrients and pleasure to the mind. Various types of sweets are extensively prepared based on the ingredients used and the purpose for its preparation. Sweetness is a component of the traditional five flavours – sweet, salty, sour, bitter and pungent – and some cultures, such as Chinese, Japanese and Korean, believe in harmoniously combining these five tastes and balancing them for a better life. Sweets also have divinity attached to them and are believed to be divine in cultures across India where sweets are distributed in places of religious worship. The roots of such practice dates back to periods before Christ, and have been evolving since then with the invention and adoption of modern techniques in processing raw materials leading to improved availability and use. The depiction of sweets as a part of food culture is carried out with an intention to portray, evaluate and celebrate the culture and depth of meaning carried inside. Sweetness has been prominently featured in societies that have taken confection to high levels involving artistry, such as in ancient India where sugar refining was invented; the Middle East that brought the art of sugar to new heights; and the Western world where sugar became available to every household owing to its declining cost. Sharing sweets to express love and gratitude on special occasions is a tradition followed in every country throughout the ages. My talk today aims to depict the history of sweets, varieties and the conjugation with the diverse cultures of India and a few other Asian countries.
(Presented in the 2016 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum: Sweet Culture and the Joy of Life, 17-18 August 2016, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies and Indian Studies Center, Chulalongkorn University)