Kathmandu: With Maghe Sankranti approaching, the demand for chaku has doubled across the Kathmandu Valley, according to traditional producers.
Surendra Joshi, a chaku producer based in Patan, Lalitpur, said production has intensified as the festive season drives a sharp rise in demand. He explained that factories are operating at full capacity, as sales typically peak during this period every year.
Chaku, a traditional sweet prepared from sugarcane juice, jaggery, ghee and coconut, is an essential part of Maghe Sankranti celebrations. The festival, observed on the first day of the tenth month of the lunar calendar, is traditionally marked by the consumption of chaku, which is believed to help protect the body from cold weather.
“People believe chaku helps keep the body warm during winter, so demand increases significantly around Maghe Sankranti,” Joshi said. He added that production during this season is several times higher than in other months, when output remains at barely five percent of current levels.
Producers noted that chaku-making is a labour-intensive and time-consuming process. It involves melting jaggery, continuously stirring the mixture, allowing it to cool in earthen pots, and then pounding, stretching and shaping it to achieve its characteristic dark colour.
Once prepared, the chaku is weighed, mixed with coconut and packaged. Completing a single batch takes approximately two to three hours, producers said.
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