Holi without Thandai and mawa gujiya is not complete for me. I absolutely love them. Every holi these are a must at my place. Perfect outside texture and melt in the mouth filling.
But there’s much more
In the lovely mediaeval town of Orchha, noted for its fort, cenotaphs, and temple, all built by the Chandela Rajputs who dominated this area in the 16th century, the gujiya is not just a Holi treat, but a year-round affair.

The gujiya takes pride of place at the small bazaar that has sprouted up around the famed Ram Raja temple here, amid other milky delicacies like kalakand, malai laddoo, and thick layers of rabdi, cooling in trays and dusted with chironjee seed frequently used.

Four varieties vie for our attention: in syrup, without syrup, and two that can be labelled "gluten-free" in the lingo of the fashionable eater.

These are pure khoya dumplings with a flawless crescent shape but without the wheat covering that gujiyas may have. One of the delights is khoya (milk solids) that has been caramelised and hence has retained its softness, as well as sugar.
Of fact, gujiya is one of those sweets that changes flavour and even appearance as we travel from region to region. Aside from Orchha's four distinct varieties — plus the ordinary (or bhang-laced) ones we may have enjoyed on Holi — there's Bihar's pedakiya, Maharashtra's coconut (rather than khoya-filled) karanji, and Goa's Nevri, stuffed with khus khus, almonds, and coconut and scented with cardamom. On Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali, the Konkani Saraswat make this treat in their houses.
We were always requested to help with the gujiya-making routine at home as youngsters, and one of the first lessons we learned was to be meticulous when sealing the ends and pinching the dough to make the overlapping ridges, which in a perfect gujiya would be fine and even.

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