Introduction: A Sweet That Steals the Heart
In a land where every festival has its own flavour and every celebration finds expression through sweets, Bengal’s relationship with dessert is nothing short of sacred. From the iconic Rosogolla to the melt-in-your-mouth Sandesh, Bengali sweets are as much about emotion as they are about sugar and milk. But tucked away from the limelight, hidden in the hearts of small towns and quiet kitchens, there exists a sweet that doesn’t just taste divine, it tells a sweet story. Meet Manohora, the sweet that has truly lived up to its name, meaning “one who steals the heart.”
Wondering about the texture?
Imagine a sweet so beautiful, you’d hesitate to bite into it. Then, the moment you do, it breaks with a gentle crunch to reveal a soft, sweet centre that instantly transports you to another time. That’s Manohora.
This isn’t just a dessert; it’s a piece of edible heritage. Its outer layer, a crystalline sugar shell, protects and decorates the rich core, made of chana (cottage cheese) inside. Crafted by hand, each Manohora is a delicate sculpture shaped like domes. It’s as if someone froze a moment of devotion in sugar.
Origin: A Sweet Born Out of Necessity
Like many beautiful things in Bengal, the origin of Manohora is wrapped in legend and warmth as well as in disputes also.
One of the most popular saying is that, Kaliprasad Mukherjee, the zamindar of Janai, Hooghly and Dewan of East India Company, in the request of a British official, had ordered a local confectioner, Nyara Moira, to produce such a sweet which would not perish, even after seven to eight days. It was around 1870 CE. Nyara Moira invented a completely new sweet, round in shape, soft Sandesh, made out of chana and coated with sugar. This sugar-coat helped in preservation. However, the official, being overwhelmed with the taste, he complemented in broken Bengali, “Ei Misti Amar Mon Horon Koreche!” This sweet has stolen my heart! Thus the name appeared, ‘Manohora’.
The second interpretation connects the origin of Manohora with the legendary Bhim Nag of Kolkata. It is said that, father of Bhim Nag, Paranchandra Nag was the Dewan of Bardhhaman. But, later, he left the job and opened a confectionary in Janai, Hooghly. With his experiment, Manohora made its entry into the market.
The third one again connects its origin with the zamindar of Janai. It is believed that, while going to hunt, he had asked a local confectioner to prepare Sandesh for him which he would collect in the way of his return. But eventually, he got late. To preserve those Sandeshes, the confectioner dipped them into sugar syrap, the indigenous preservative. Now, when returned and the Zamindar was served his Sandeshes with hard sugar coating, it melted his heart and he named the new sweet ‘Manohora’.
In another opinion, this sweet was created by Lalit Moira of Janai in the 1860s.
Now comes the debate. These above interpretations are different from each other but all of them are connected with Janai. But there exists another interpretation, which connects Manohora with the Nawabi Rule of Murshidabad. This argues that the most loved confectioner of the Nawabs, who belonged to Kiritkona village of Murshidabad, he had invented Manohara, as the Nawabs were very much fond of sweets, which had touch of dry fruit and exotic spices like Cashew, nutmeg, mace, pistachio and others. Notably, to prepare Manohora in Murshidabad, these all are prevalently used, while in Janai their use occasional or very less.
How It Flourished: The Sweet Conquer
Over time, Manohora became a staple offering during pujas, a prized gift during weddings and a symbol of thoughtful craftsmanship passed down through generations. It had stolen hearts of luminaries like Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Uttam Kumar, Chaya Devi and Chobi Biswas and continues to do the same.
In Bangladesh, Manohora is also known as ‘Pranohora’ which highlights its widespread appeal. The famous author and lecturer Mohitlal Majumdar, even compared the virtues of Pranohara and Manohora, while teaching in the Dhaka University.
Its popularity spread through word of mouth throughout Bengal and gradually throughout India. During the British period, Indian and British elites used to bring Janai’s Manohora to entertain guests. Gradually, a market for Manohora was created in Britain as well. Later, it was also exported to the United States, France and Germany. Even today, Manohora has retained its tradition amidst the crowd of thousands of sweets.
With growing popularity, Manohora is often compared to Mecha Sandesh, a traditional sweet from Beliatore, Bankura that looks similar. However, as Swapan Kumar Das, one of the iconic Manohara sellers of Janai, explains “They might look alike, but they’re completely different. Mecha Sandesh is made with kheer and besan, while Monohora is purely made from chana. The sugar coating is the only similarity, but the taste sets them apart.”
Variations: Different Homes, One Heart
Over time, three prominent schools of Manohora-making emerged, one from Janai in Hooghly, second one from Beldanga and Kandi in Murshidabad and the last one is connected with Mahadipur, Malda.
Janai Manohora
In Janai, Manohara is prepared in a traditional way. Chana and Sugar is used to prepare the core Sandesh. Then it is dipped into sugar syrup. Sometimes, aromatic spices like cardamom are used to bring a rich aroma in the syrup, but it is optional.
Murshidabad Manohara
Here, however, the primary processing is alike with Janai, but as mentioned earlier, dry fruit and exotic spices like Cashew, nutmeg, mace, pistachio and others is used prevalently. Pulp of tender coconut, milk and kheer were also used to process the creamy texture of the core Sandesh. Along with the sugar syrup, crushed pistachio and cardamom are also used for the coating. This particular form of Manohara was available in large parts of Murshidabad district, during the Nawabi Rule. But as the Nawabs had lost their power, their patronage to Murshidabad Manohara began to fade. Now, only the Beldanga and Kandi regions of Murshidabad carry the legacy to this certain variant of Manohara.
Malda Manohara
In Mahadipur, the core of Manohora differs from other regions. Here, kheer, coconut, sugar and cardamom is mixed gently to prepare the core. Then, they are shaped and dried. The sugar coat is done sometimes even after two-three days, as its base is prepared from kheer, it lasts longer than the other variants of Manohara. Here exists only one confectioner, who is still engaged with the processing of Manohara, he is Ajit Gupta. According to him, his father, late Anantalal Gupta has brought this processing technique from Pabna, Bangladesh.
Popular Culture: Quiet, But Present
Unlike rosogolla, Manohora never became a global ambassador of Bengali sweets. But that doesn’t mean it was forgotten.
Recently, a popular Bengali serial, Mithai (2021-2023) had featured Manohara of Janai, which had extensively helped to bring limelight to Manohara as well as Janai. The show also introduced a twist, Nolen Gur Monohora, a winter-special version with a coating of date palm jaggery. Yes, it was always there, but not mass-accepted one. But, according to Swapan Kumar Das, “Initially, Manohora was always coated in sugar. But after the serial showcased Nolen Gur Manohora, its demand in winter has been overwhelming. So during winter the sale of Manohara rises specially the demand of Nolen Gurer Manohara rises.”
Today, it has found mention in food-focused YouTube channels and Bengali culinary blogs also, as part of a growing interest in heritage sweets.
Current Status: Between Fading and Flourishing
Like many heritage foods, Manohora faces a bittersweet reality. It’s time-consuming to make and requires skill and patience, commodities that are sadly becoming rare.
And yet, all is not lost. In Janai, a few dedicated confectionaries still make Manohora by hand. They consider themselves not just sweet-makers, but guardians of tradition. Kamala Sweets, run by Swapan Kumar Das, is one of them. This confectionary is believed to be associated with Nyara Moira, the inventor of Manohara, according to one interpretation.
In Beldanga, there are Asit Saha, Madangopal Saha. In Kandi, confectioners like Shivshakti Dey, Rudradeb Dutta are trying their best to carry the legacy. In Mahadipur, there’s only Ajit Gupta.
Still, people are starting to notice. In Kolkata, the iconic confectionaries started to prepare Manhora, however, mostly they are processed according to the techniques of Janai. And slowly, quietly, this sweet is being rediscovered, one heart at a time.
Conclusion: A Legacy Worth Savouring
Manohora isn’t just about sugar and milk. It’s about time. It’s about hands working with care. In a world that’s rushing forward, Manohora asks us to pause. To admire. To taste, not just with our tongues, but with our hearts.
And some stories deserve to be savoured slowly.
REFERENCES
NEWSPAPER OR MAGAZINE ARTICLE
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2. Dey, Shubhagata, “Mon Bhalo Kora Maldah-er Khirer Manohara”, News 18 Bangla, November 17, 2022. https://bengali.news18.com/news/malda/famous-monohara-sweets-from-malda-know-the-history-l18-sdg-929319.html
3. Ghoshal, Harihar, “Roser Bandhon Othocho Shukno! Manohorar Itihas Sotti-e Jeno Mon Horon Kore Ney”, Madhyom, November 13, 2024. https://www.madhyom.com/monohora-sweet-juice-binding-but-dry-history-is-truly-mind-blowing-28764#google_vignette
4. Haldar, Rahi, “Mithai’ Dharabahiker Manohara Misti Kothay Paoa Jay Janen? Itihas Obak Korbe!” News 18 Bangla, June 8, 2023. https://bengali.news18.com/news/hooghly/mithai-manohara-misti-know-the-history-of-manohara-sweets-l18-pb-1136852.html
5. Mukherjee, Kankana, “Vidyasagar, Chabi Biswas Kimba Uttam Kumar: Sokoler-e Mon Horon Korechilo Janai-er Monohora”, Bongodorshon, February 23, 2022. https://www.bongodorshon.com/home/story_detail/vidyasagar-chobi-biswas-or-uttam-kumar-janaiya-s-manohara-captivated-everyone
WEB PAGE
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