JOHOR BARU: Traditional Indian snacks such as muruku and nei urundai (ghee balls) remain the most popular choice for Malaysians of all ages, say traders.
According to several Deepavali bazaar vendors here, while a wide variety of festive delights are available these days, simple traditional treats continue to be the first snapped off the rack.
N. Puspa, 25, said her 65-year-old grandmother’s traditional treats have been selling faster than fancy festive biscuits.
“My grandmother has been supplying muruku, achu muruku and nei urundai to Deepavali bazaar traders for the last 10 years, but this year, we decided to sell them ourselves.
“My mother, aunts and several other family members are also making homemade biscuits to be sold at our stall, along with my grandmother’s traditional snacks.
“While sales of all festive treats have been good so far, simple traditional delicacies remain the top choice for most of our customers,” she said when met at the Deepavali bazaar in Taman Tampoi Indah.
Puspa expects a surge in demand for festive treats as many people do not have time to make them.
“It used to be the norm for families to make these treats, especially the must-haves for Deepavali such as muruku, but most people are too busy now.
“I think that is partly why we continue to see high demand for these delicacies during the festive season,” she said.
Echoing a similar view was S. Manimaran, 55, who said that apart from the variety of muruku, traditional sweets such as nei urundai and ketti urundai (hard jaggery sweet ball) are also selling well.
“These are the snacks many people grew up having and are very closely associated with Deepavali,” he said.
Manimaran, who is selling festive treats for the first time, expects the crowd to get bigger as Deepavali draws closer.
Another trader, P. Valli, 39, said traditional snacks are the top choice for all Malaysians.
“I also have customers who do not celebrate Deepavali coming here to buy festive delicacies for themselves or to give to their Indian friends.
“They would opt for muruku first before trying out other snacks. I think the love for these treats is just something that all Malaysians share,” she said.
