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6 Min
03/10/2025
What’s the point of a festive spread if they don’t induce burps? Tikhat sev that tingles your tongue, perfectly stuffed and fried samosas, and chivda so crunchy it feels like crackling static inside your head – these aren’t just snacks, they’re tradition. Dhanteras faral isn’t about fancy plating; it’s about that overflowing steel dabba, the stolen bites before the puja, and the taste that takes you straight back to your childhood.
Dhanteras marks the beginning of the Diwali festivities, and along with lighting diyas and buying gold or utensils, there’s one thing every home looks forward to – good food. While sweets often take centre stage, it’s the savoury snacks that keep everyone coming back for more. Crunchy, spicy, and made with love across homes, these faral items are what truly bring the festive table to life. Here are some of the most loved savoury bites you’ll find during Dhanteras.
This is a stuffed puri filled with a dry, spiced chana dal (split chickpea) mixture. The filling is cooked until the moisture evaporates, and the puris puff and crisp. It is especially popular in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Preparing Dal Bhari Puri on festive days is traditional in places like Banaras (Varanasi). It is also sometimes made in households when a daughter returns to her in‑laws’ home, symbolising love, care, and auspiciousness.
Nimki (also called namak para, namak pare) is a crunchy, lightly spiced snack made from dough (maida or wheat) mixed with oil or ghee. It’s seasoned with ajwain (carom), cumin, or nigella (kalonji), cut into ribbons or diamond shapes, and deep fried. Nimki is a staple favourite in many parts of the world, and balances out the overload of mithai served at festivals like Diwali, Durga Puja, and Dhanteras. Many Bengali homes serve nimki during ‘Bijoya’ (the last day of the Durga Puja period) as a customary practice for greeting guests, sometimes added in mithai parcels.
Pakoras (also called bhajiyas) are fritters made by dipping vegetables (onion, potato, spinach, cauliflower) or even paneer into a seasoned gram‑flour (besan) batter and deep frying until golden and crisp. Pakoras are the ultimate comfort foods, especially in the rainy or cold season. At Dhanteras, you will find them being made during family gatherings as tea‑time snacks. Their simplicity and flexibility (many vegetable options) make them a perennial favourite across India.
Perfect whether consumed hot or stone cold, kachoris are a flaky and crispy savory pie, typically stuffed with spiced lentils, peas, or onion fillings, and deep fried. There are many varieties like pyaz (onion) kachori, moong dal kachori, and matar (peas) kachori. Kachori has ancient roots and is a staple in festival spreads and street food. In many places, special kachori varieties get prepared for Holi and Diwali. For Dhanteras, moong dal khasta kachori seems to be a favourite. Get more region-specific, and you will find places like Rajasthan’s Jodhpur, where onion kachori is much loved.
This snack is spiral or coil-shaped and is made of rice flour, gram flour, and lentil flour, and seasoned with spices (cumin, sesame, chilli). Chakli transcends festivals; you will see it during Dhanteras as you’d see it at Diwali ‘faral’ (festive snack assortments) because it can be stored in airtight containers for several days and still retains its crispiness. Some also view the act of making faral (including chakli) as symbolic of hospitality and generosity during festival visits. Down south, chaklis are known as murukkus.
Quite similar to chakli, bhakarwadi is a spiral or rolled savoury snack made from gram‑flour dough, stuffed with a spiced filling (often including coconut, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and spice mixes), and then deep fried until crisp. It is very popular in Maharashtra and Gujarat and often combines a mix of sweet and spicy flavours. Because of its durability and distinct taste, bhakarwadi is a traditional item in festival snack assortments (faral), and can be stored for weeks without losing its crispness.
This is the spicy, crunchy stuff you can’t stop munching. Gram flour (besan), mixed with red chili, salt, and turmeric, is pressed into Sev‑threads and fried till crisp. During Diwali and Dhanteras, tikhat sev sits in snack boxes (faral) and adds that sharp kick to chai or sweets; they might also be made from potatoes. Folks love it because it’s light, lasts long, and when guests come over, one bowl of sev disappears faster than you think.
Samosas are the ultimate Indian snack with crisp edges that are a delight to bite into and a soft potato filling that feels like soul food. When it’s fresh‑hot and crispy, dipped in green chutney or tamarind sauce, it hits all the right notes. For festivals like Dhanteras, samosas often pop up in evening chai breaks, when people drop by, and of course in the ramshackle to polised neighbourhood stalls. Everybody likes them. It’s comfort food that fills you up a bit and goes well with conversations and laughter.
Chivda is the mixed snack you find in every household during Diwali. Ingredients include flattened rice (poha), peanuts, maybe some dry coconut, curry leaves, chili bits, and sometimes raisins or cashews. The ingredients are fried or roasted lightly and mixed with spices to form an easy-to-consume mixture. It’s not heavy, so you munch on it between sweet bites or offer it to guests when no big cooking is happening. Also good if you want snacks ready ahead – it keeps well.
Every family may have their own versions—extra spicy sev, thinner chivda, or samosas stuffed just right--but the heart of it remains the same: sharing food that brings people together. Whether made in big batches at home or picked up fresh from the local farsan shop, these savory treats make Dhanteras feel like a celebration even before Diwali day arrives.