Mymensingh’s sweet offerings for Durga Puja

Pera, a traditional sweetmeat, is having a moment of its own during Durga Puja this year.

It is made from solidifying cow-milk, and can be crafted in several designs and patterns.

However, despite being a delicacy, the traditional Pera has been gasping for survival in recent years.

This sweet is mainly used as a "bhog" item for various puja festivals, said 80-year old Jagadish Roy, of Mymensing's Aamlapara area.

Pera is now being sold at Tk 550 to Tk 600 per kilogramme. For special orders, prices can be as high as Tk 700 per kg, said Saurav Das, proprietor of Bikrampur Sweet Meat at the city's Boro Kalibari area.

There was a time when pera had great demand among people and it was sent to different European countries.

"There used to be orders from different zamindar palaces," said Pintu Sarker, proprietor of Adarsha Mistanno Bhandar in the Boro Kalibari area.

Like many other traditional sweet items, it is lagging behind due to lack of publicity. The present generation is not familiar with this sweet item, said 58-year-old Pintu.

Recollecting memories, Pintu, the third generation in a line of sweetmeat makers, said their grandfathers late Suresh Sarker and Brojendra Sarker, hailing from Cumilla, came to Mymensingh in their youth and learned to make Pera. It is now a century old business.

Rina Sarker, proprietor of Jol Khabar Mistanno Bhandar, said the item they prepare has a difference in colour and taste than other sweetmeats.

Facing different odds including a serious crisis of skilled technicians to make pera, they have been continuing this business to honour to their ancestral trade, said Rina.

Rina added that they enjoy reliable retail sales around the year, as a large of number of devotees visit "Loknath Ashram and Boro Kalibari Temple" in the area.

The devotees usually buy pera in pieces, and such sale is not enough for the survival of this sweetmeat making, said Khitiranjan Sarker, a retired school teacher.

Dr Ranjan Kumar Majumder, a resident of the Boro Kalibari area, said the Mymensingh region was once famous for its variety of sweetmeats, including pera. But many traditional sweet items are now in a tight spot due to various reasons, and they are struggling to cope with the situation, added Dr Ranjan.