Frying Chandrakala (dessert) at a sweets shop in Varanasi

From the archive record

Chandrakala (dessert) being fry at a sweet shop in Varanasi. Chandrakala is a dessert from Northern India, similar to gujia. The outer covering is made of flour and the stuffing is traditionally made using dry fruits like charoli, raisins, coconut, almonds, and cashews, along with khoa, semolina, cardamom, sugar, and pistachio. Varanasi, also known as Benares, Banaras or Kashi, is an Indian city on the banks of the Ganges (Ganga) in Uttar Pradesh, 320 kilometres (200 mi) southeast of the state capital, Lucknow. It is the holiest of the seven sacred cities (Sapta Puri) in Hinduism and Jainism, and played an important role in the development of Buddhism. Some Hindus believe that death at Varanasi brings salvation. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Varanasi i