Western Maharashtra is famous for its juicy sugar canes and well-equipped sugar cane factories. This region is equally well-known for its jaggery making plants that churn out the golden brown Jaggery or Gurh that is a key ingredient in sweet and savoury dishes across India. Many of us have sipped on glasses of freshly extracted sugarcane juice but are not really familiar with how jaggery is prepared.

As the sun sets over the Sahyadri range and the sky turns into a medley of orange and purples hues, a cool breeze rustles through the sugarcane fields, making it an idyllic setting to exult in the glory of spring while participating in Jaggery Making.

Jaggery plants in rural Maharashtra offer a fun and intriguing jaggery making experience. From crushing the sugar canes to simmering the juice to tasting the final product, jaggery making is a syrupy sweet, offbeat weekend experience that the entire family will enjoy. Here are a few reasons that will make you want to rush to a farmstay and visit a jaggery making plant to experience this unique activity

1. Delicious Welcome Drinks

As you step into a jaggery plant you will be cordially greeted with a refreshing welcome drink. Paanagam is a delicious drink made from jaggery powder, ginger extract and a dash of lemon juice. It is effectively a traditional glucose drink because it combines the kick of sugar with the goodness and immunity boosting powers of lemon and ginger. You can also sip on fresh sugarcane juice that is heavenly nectar for tired travelers.

2. Experience the Process of Extraction

A day at the jaggery plant will take you through the entire process of extraction of organic jaggery from sugarcane. You will get a chance to learn the time-tested methods by which sugarcane is converted into jaggery and transported from the farm to the plate. The simplicity and effectiveness of these traditional techniques of extraction will amaze you. This experience provides a rare glimpse into the self-sufficient village industries of India.

3. The Secret Recipe

The secret of how to create the perfect, crumbly gurh will be revealed by the Gurh Master or Gulvya, whose verdict regarding the consistency of the end product is the toughest benchmark for the batch of the day. The plant relies on his fine palette and years of experience to ensure that they produce jaggery of consistent and excellent quality. The gurh taster will enlighten you regarding the different aspects that help to gauge the standard of jaggery.

4. Try Out Your Hands at Gurh Making

With all the guidance provided to you by the hospitable workers of the plant, you can try to create some gurh on your own. Get your hands messy in the process of mixing the jaggery and help the staff fill up the bins with fragrant gurh that melts in the mouth. This will be a fun activity for the whole family and you will end up with sticky fingers and beaming smiles.

5. Gorge on The Freshly Prepared Jaggery

Nothing compares to the warm, sugary deliciousness of freshly prepared jaggery. This is some of the purest jaggery that you will taste in your lifetime. Devoid of harmful chemicals and preservatives, the jaggery tastes no less than ambrosia. This sweet indulgence is replete with health benefits, so you can feast on it without any guilt. Being surrounded by the sugarcane farms and the pristine air of rural outdoors further enhances the taste of the product.

 The custom of Gurhal Party, which is a party organised for the guests of the village at the local jaggery plant, is fast disappearing from the rural culture. Agritourism or rural tourism is one of the initiatives to keep this tradition alive. A visit to a jaggery plant while you spend a relaxing weekend at a Farmstay or an Agritourism Center is a great way to witness the bounty of spring and learn about the local industries that support the livelihood of rural India.

The Kolhapur District in western Maharashtra is famous for its variety of jaggery, which is yellow & soft in nature. We at TourdeFarm.in have handpicked some of the Jaggery making units around Kolhapur & Pune.  So let’s plan to visit Jaggery making units this season …