Ahmedabad, 14 Jan 2026 — As Uttarayan celebrations unfold across Gujarat, Gujaratis are eagerly consuming traditional festive foods like undhiyu and jalebi — with thousands of households and eateries embracing the ritual of enjoying these seasonal delicacies alongside kite flying. For many, the combination of undhiyu-puri and jalebi is as essential to Uttarayan as colorful kites in the sky.
The classic undhiyu, a slow-cooked winter vegetable specialty, and jalebi, the syrupy sweet, have become centerpieces of Uttarayan feasts in homes and restaurants throughout Ahmedabad. Eateries report significant upticks in orders as locals line up to buy ready-made undhiyu and jalebi rather than prepare them at home.
Health inspectors from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) conducted checks at 22 undhiyu and jalebi units across the city to ensure food hygiene ahead of the festival; only one outlet was sealed for poor conditions, with samples from others sent for laboratory analysis.
Prices have climbed sharply due to seasonal vegetable costs and demand. In many parts of Gujarat, including nearby markets, undhiyu was reported trading at over ₹600 per kg during the build-up to Uttarayan.
Sweet shops across Ahmedabad show strong demand, with individual jalebis priced around ₹60 each at some popular outlets. Per-kg prices for jalebi have been noted as high as ₹1,400 per kg in local reports during peak festival periods.
For many Guajaratis, the tradition of feasting on undhiyu with puris and enjoying hot jalebis forms a beloved part of the Uttarayan experience, drawing families to farsan shops and restaurants even as kite strings fill the skies.
