On sunny morning we trudged our way past the famous Ganpathi temple near Prarthana Samaj to the little shop round the corner called Trupti Sweets. Hasmukh Bhimjyani. The split level store was filled with the aromas of Gujarati spices and the freshness of ghee with a hint of saffron. Laid out beautifully before the eager customers was an array of farsans (snacks) and mishtans (sweetmeats).The young owner, Ripul, led us upstairs where we sat down to discuss the nuances of the confectionery business that was making waves not just across Bombay but India too."Trupti is placed in a very niche premium segment where innovation, consistency, service and reasonableness are of primary importance," he explained as a proud smile lit up his face.

In 1964 the humble family began their business from scratch. "My grandfather started out as a milkman in these very premises after which we let the place out on lease and that was the source of income for my family. It was only a few years before 1964 that my father, Hasmukhbhai and grandmother Sudha Bhimjyani began a small business preparing lip-smacking home-style Gujarati mithais..." he trailed off. The popularity soared and customers began swearing by the delectable goodies that the Bhimjyani family was churning out. From mohanthal to sheera to a wide range of pedas; there was something for everyone. The success mounted as was evident through the expansion of Trupti's production units from a modest 500 square feet to two units of 3000 square feet each stationed right opposite the shop at R.K. Vadi. The enterprising team even boasts a swanky new cake shop with unique bite-sized portions bathed in couverture chocolate. When we questioned him about his diversification he was quick to reply, "At Trupti we like to provide a holistic shopping experience and we do source a lot of raw materials from abroad." It was indeed astonishing to learn that the pioneers of mithais in Bombay managed everything from cooking to cleaning all by themselves with no help before their army of 100 staff came along. As we were taken on a journey through the land of Indian delicacies by Ripul, we could sense his passion for food, whether it was in describing a bhakarwadi (a bhujiya made from fenugreek) or tasting the freshness of banana extract in Trupti's famous Baby Banana (a nut based confection with fruit extract from Germany). The in-depth knowledge about the business was surprising considering Ripul studied to be an electronic engineer. "I have been travelling extensively and adopting relevant technology as well as training to perfect the art of making chocolates and procuring the apt raw materials," he explained with zeal. The plethora of items would certainly stir the sweet desires in anyone looking for attractively packaged, natural tasting snacks and bonbons. One could take for instance, the prolific range of dry-fruit sweets that were tempting enough. Whether it was the cashew nut based succulent musk melon or the conical gulkand filled Pista Gul, each was unique in taste and flavour. The innovative play of ingredients fused with traditional recipes was also prevalent in the Almond Excellent (a disc bathed in blanched almonds) or the hazel dip. "The Pista Punch is our creation. The pleasure of eating it remains in the homogenous blend of a layer of milk cream and pistachios," Ripul justified as he explained the indulgences. The Bengali sweets were unique and the expert recommended they be eaten as fresh as possible in order to capture the essence of it all. They reflected a mélange of fruits together with the deliciously authentic chenna (a concoction of milk and sugar). The Orange Plaza had the succulence of fresh oranges and the Lychee Top was a sinful bite of cardamom and dry fruits. These were exotic sweets prepared by the culinary artisans under the surveillance of Ripul and his father. Each recipe took months to perfect and unless the duo was completely satisfied by the result it was not implemented and made for display. The rhythm of working and the camaraderie among workers was contagious as we watched the team packing loads of boxes with fresh from the oven phaphdas (besan chips) and dry snacks. A stack of decorative packaging laced the corners of the store. Trupti had an extensive clientele; mainly Marwaris and Jains.

Diwali sees the birth of a new range of mithais. Besides cakes and confections, the other hidden jewels we uncovered were bakery items from home-made breads to melt-in-the-mouth khari biscuits to cookies. The snacks menu encapsulated wholesomeness and a splash of spices. The dhokla, a humble lentil and gramflour based household snack, had definitely adopted a new form. There were pizza dhoklas and pav bhaji dhoklas besides the renowned paneer dhoklas. We were informed that the art lay in tempering with water and less oil unlike other places. The mention of Jhulla Kachori (an Indian patty stuffed with American corn), the vegetable cones and the juicy dahi vadas set our taste buds tingling and we conjured up some indulgent images. We decided to purchase the addictively spicy papad chavana; a riot of popaddum tid-bits. The Suvarana Manjusha is certainly a treat for those yearning some traditional spiced dry fruits straight from Kashmir. We educated ourselves by learning a little about the eclectic range of khakhras, made in an authentic domestic thappi style (an act of pressing the base of two-layered rotis). In between instructions and the woes of the tumbling stock market that day, Ripul Bhimjyani guided us through an enjoyable experience of taste and tradition. "I like to derive inspiration from my father and grandmother. They have truly justified the use of each ingredient and made the alchemy of blending them just as imperative," he sighed. According to him it was the willingness to accept anything coupled with a penchant for quality sustenance that had created the eternal Trupti feel. It is certainly woven into the shop and its treats.

TRUPTI SWEETS
123 V.P. Road, Next to Police Stn,
Bombay 400 004.
Tel 23883288, 23873066.