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7 min
05/11/2026
As families prepare to welcome Bestu Varas 2026, tins of homemade farsan, freshly fried snacks, various sweets, and savoury treats for visiting relatives become a very common, nostalgic part of the celebrations. From paper-thin mathiya and puffed chorafali to crunchy sev mamra and traditional suvali, all these regional favourites showcase their own unique culinary identities, textures and flavours in a brilliant festive table spread. So, here are some traditional farsan delicacies worth savouring as Gujarat graciously welcomes its new year.
In the days leading up to the new year, there is a very particular kind of excitement in Gujarati kitchens. For example, sweets are getting packed into gift boxes, the house has just been freshly cleaned and the entrance is being beautifully and intricately embellished with rangoli, but somewhere in the kitchen, a seemingly endless tin is being filled with something crisp and savoury. Gujarati New Year, popularly known as Bestu Varas, arrives with the beginning of a new year in the Gujarati calendar. In 2026, it is observed on November 9, though it is ideal to refer to local panchang for precise timing details for any puja rituals. On this occasion, families exchange greetings of “Saal Mubarak”, visit relatives and temples, or welcome guests at home with snacks and refreshments.
The celebrations closely follows Diwali, when many households have already spent days preparing sweets, savouries and snacks to share and savour the subsequent festivities. And food plays a very sociable role in these occasions. For example, a visitor may stop by for a quick greeting and end up staying behind long after, armed with a cup of tea and a plate of farsan. Or else, another may simply be dropping by to wish the family well, but leave with a gift box of snacks for home. In this way, the food is not merely something prepared for a formal meal; it becomes part of the hospitality and social celebration via which the new year is warmly welcomed.
The connection between festive food and auspicious beginnings also appears in the wider calendar and cultural context of Gujarati celebrations. Chopda Pujan, the worship of account books associated with the business community, is commonly performed around Diwali, as traders seek blessings for the year ahead. And Bestu Varas brings its own round of visits, greetings and family gatherings. The two occasions are closely linked by the spirit of renewal and social festivity, even though the rituals themselves are distinct. And while Gujarati cuisine is known internationally for dishes like khandvi, dhokla and patra, the festive farsan spread deserves a closer look.
This is because many of its most evocative preparations are crisp, dry snacks that can be prepared ahead of time and served to guests over several days. Plus, other than convenience, their appeal lies in their variety. Some are feather-light and delicate, others are flaky or boldly spiced in taste, and the rest offer a sweet-savoury flavour profile that ensures you keep reaching for another piece, on a loop. Now, there is no single farsan menu that every Gujarati household follows. Recipes differ between families and communities, and shop-bought favourites also sit comfortably alongside the snacks made at home.
Still, there are some preparations that have become closely associated with the Diwali period as well as the visits that carry on into Gujarati New Year. Here are a few worth making room for on your menu and in your stomach for Bestu Varas 2026.
Mathiya is one of the most recognisable savoury preparations of a Gujarati festive spread. These thin, crisp discs are traditionally made using moth bean flour, often combined with urad flour, and seasoned to create a delicate balance of savoury, peppery and sometimes lightly sweet flavours. When fried well, they develop a fine, bubbled surface and deliver a fragile crunch that makes them quite unlike any ordinary chips or papad.
However, preparing mathiya can be a collective kitchen activity, with family members helping out in kneading, rolling and laying out the discs before the main frying event. That work often begins well before Diwali itself, leaving the household prepared with a steady snack supply for feeding visiting friends and relatives. On Bestu Varas, a plate of mathiya alongside sweets offers guests an excellent change of taste and texture.
Few Gujarati festive snacks are as immediately recognisable by their texture as chorafali. Made using a dough of gram flour and urad dal flour, it isthen rolled thin and fried until the pieces puff up into light, crisp strips. A dusting of chilli powder, black salt or a personal spice mix gives the finished snack its characteristic kick and appeal.
Chorafali is specially associated with Diwali preparations, and its appeal naturally extends into the Gujarati New Year visits that follow right after. The contrast between its airy crunch and lively seasoning makes it an excellent tea-time companion for festive evenings. Serve it in a bowl rather than piling it too high on a plate, so that the delicate pieces remain intact, instead of a doomed quest for unnecessary aestheticism.
Sev mamra, also known as sev murmura, is a simple combination of puffed rice, fine sev and commonly peanuts, tossed with spices and various other flavourings. Depending on the household recipe, curry leaves, turmeric, chilli powder, and a little sugar usually join the mix. The result is light, crunchy, highly flavoursome, and easy to nibble on without making a meal out of it. For Bestu Varas, sev mamra’s real strength lies in its practicality.
Unlike snacks that need to be fried in small batches right before serving, a dry sev mamra mixture can be prepared ahead and stored in an airtight container once completely cooled. It is very handy when relatives come and go throughout the day or when you just want to come up with a quick savoury plate with minimal fuss and effort.
Suvali is a crisp festive preparation that appears in traditional Gujarati Diwali food memories, especially in accounts and memories of older celebrations. Recipes can vary, but the snack is generally associated with a rolled dough that is fried to create a delicate, dry crunch. It is usually served alongside other farsan and sweets rather than as a standalone dish. But what makes suvali interesting is its place in the broader festive spread.
It may not command the same attention as a colourful sweet box, but it belongs to the kind of homemade assortment and snacking comfort that guests can sample and indulge in slowly as conversations unfold and connections are reforged. Plus, including suvali is also a way to explore a less familiar side of Gujarati festive cooking beyond the popular snacks.
Chakri, also known as chakli, brings a different, fun shape and bite to your farsan platter. Here, a seasoned flour dough is pressed through a mould to form ridged spirals, which are then fried until they turn uber crisp. Depending on the recipe, the dough may use rice flour, gram flour or other flour combinations, with various zesty spices added for a savoury, memorable finish.
Structurally, its ridges are what gives chakri a satisfying crunch, while the seasoning makes it much more than just a decorative addition to your plate. Because the spirals travel and store well when properly cooled and packed, they are also well-suited for festive tins and food gifts. A handful alongside mathiya and sev mamra can make any snack assortment feel more varied and diverse without requiring an elaborate spread.
Fafda is widely loved for its long, crisp strips and savoury, gently spiced flavour. Usually made with gram flour, the dough is shaped into thin strips and then fried until golden. It is perhaps most famously associated with the renowned Gujarati food pairing, involving fafda and jalebi, but its place in the region’s wider snack repertoire makes it a great familiar option for festive gatherings as well.
So, for a Gujarati New Year spread, fafda can be served on its own or with a suitable chutney if the household prefers a nice, freshly prepared accompaniment. Its firm crunch and savoury profile provide a much-needed contrast to all the sweet mithai and softer snacks. And if you are buying it for a gathering, then always choose a batch that has been packed well and serve it soon after opening so it retains its crisp appeal.
The pleasure of a Gujarati festive snack plate lies in its variety, not the number of dishes you serve. If you are expecting guests throughout the day, then keep your dry snacks in airtight containers and refill serving bowls in small quantities so that the remaining batch stays crisp. For households preparing farsan at home, the best approach is to spread the work across several days rather than leaving everything until the last minute. This is because some snacks require careful rolling and frying, while others can be assembled very quickly. You can also buy a few favourites from a local, trusty farsan shop and make one or two family recipes at home. It will be just as meaningful as preparing the entire spread from scratch, but without the humongous and chaotic solo culinary weightlifting.
Bestu Varas 2026 shall be observed on November 9. As regional calendars and observance conventions can differ, always refer to a trusted local panchang for precise timings.
