Punjab has many dishes that deserve more attention. Particularly in Fazilka, Punjab, there is a mithai that literally came from Pakistan. Called Tosha, it looks a little like a Gulab Jamun, but it is drier, less syrupy and has a history that goes back to pre-Independence India.
Its story begins in Pakpattan, a town in present-day Pakistan. It crossed the border with a family during the 1947 Partition and found a new home in Fazilka. Nearly eight decades later, the sweet is still associated with the family that brought it to India.
Content creator Srishti Tehri recently introduced the internet to this lesser-known Punjabi speciality.
What Is Tosha, And How Is It Different From Gulab Jamun?
If you enjoy Gulab Jamun but sometimes find it too heavy or soaked in too much sugar syrup, Tosha is worth knowing about.
Also spelt Toshe, it is a traditional deep-fried Punjabi sweet made using khoya, along with other dairy ingredients. It has a crisp exterior and a comparatively dry, dense centre. Depending on the preparation, it is finished with sugar or syrup. Unlike the familiar Gulab Jamun, which is served soaked in sugar syrup, Tosha is known for its drier texture. Srishti described it as a dry version of Gulab Jamun in her video. She also pointed out that it is not as loaded as the more familiar sweet.
But Tosha definitely has its own identity. And as one Instagram user pointed out, it should not simply be called Gulab Jamun!
The history of Fazilka's Tosha is closely connected to the 1947 Partition.
The sweet originated in Pakpattan, which is now a town in present-day Pakistan's Punjab. Lala Munshi Ram ran a confectionery shop there, where the family was known for making Toshe.
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Partition forced the family to leave their home and relocate to India. Lala Munshi Ram moved to Fazilka with his five sons, bringing the family recipe and confectionery tradition with him. In 1949, they established a new sweet shop in Fazilka. The business carried forward the preparation that had been associated with their shop in Pakpattan.
Over time, the sweet became closely identified with its new home. People even started referring to it as Fazilka ka Tosha.
The family confectionery business is now known as Pakpattnian Di Hatti, a name that pays tribute to its roots in Pakpattan.
Her Video Struck A Nostalgic Chord
Srishti's video was not just about discovering a new sweet in Punjab. While sharing the family's story, she also spoke about her own connection to Partition through her grandparents. She wrote that Tosha reminded her of all four of them and everything they had to leave behind, including their homes, cattle, land and families.
Her video also brought out plenty of love for the sweet in the comments. People from Fazilka and neighbouring towns shared childhood memories, while others were discovering Tosha for the first time.
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One user wrote, "Tosha is Loveeee", while another said they missed it because it was so yummy. Several others also called it their favourite mithai.
A user shared how they had enjoyed Tosha since childhood and still managed to get it regularly after moving to Chandigarh. "Tosha needs to be represented," wrote one. Some even celebrated the video for giving the sweet recognition it deserves.
A commenter from Lahore shared that he was from Pakpattan and even thanked Srishti for sharing the story. He also explained that Pakpattan is associated with the 13th-century Sufi saint Hazrat Baba Farid-ud-Din Ganj Shakar, who settled there.