“Maharashtrian tradition dictates that newlyweds should don halwa dagine for Makar Sankranti during their first year of marriage. ‘Halwa’ is a sweet dish. So the new bride is expected to wear jewellery made of halwa dagine to usher in a year of sweetness.”
Halwa dagine is prepared during the auspicious festival of Makar Sankranti where the phrase ‘Tilgul ghya goad goad bola’ is often heard as a greeting. It means, ‘Eat this Tilgul (sweet) and talk sweetly’.
The customary sugar jewellery on the other hand is made by roasting sesame seeds combined with sabudana (sago) and sugar powder. Newlywed brides are dressed in black saris their grooms wear suits or kurtas of black—while being clad from head to toe in halwa dagine.