• Traditional ukdiche and puran modaks share space with flavoured modaks like chocolate, paan, rose 
• From Rs 30 a piece to Rs 850 a box, modak prices rise with ingredients  

 

Bappa’s all-time favourite bhog, modaks, are witnessing a whopping rise in demand this Ganeshotsav. However, the sweet treat has also turned pricier, leaving devotees with a deeper dent in their pockets. Rising inflation, coupled with the soaring costs of key ingredients such as coconut, ghee, aromatic Ambemohar rice, cardamom, sugar, and saffron, has pushed modak prices to new highs this festive season. Coconuts, traditionally the heart of modak fillings, have become three times more expensive than last year. Prices of other festive essentials like jaggery, charoli, and cardamom have also surged. As a result, sweet shops across the city are selling modaks at significantly higher rates, with varieties ranging from classic ukadiche and fried versions to premium fusion flavours.

 

A sweet shop owner at Manewada said, “This year, the prices of modaks have definitely risen due to the skyrocketing rates of ingredients like ghee, cardamom, and kesar.” Despite the rise, demand remains undeterred. According to the owner of Mahal area’s one of the famous sweet shop, the modaks are priced depending on size and ingredients. “A 50-gram modak usually sells at Rs 30–35 per piece.

 

This year, especially, many people are buying coconut modaks and ukadiche modaks,” he said. Coconut modaks are now being sold at Rs 45–50 per piece, while kesar modaks cost between Rs 55–60 per piece. Peda modaks, made of khoya and dry fruits, are retailing at around Rs 500 per kg. Premium versions like golden modaks, decorated with edible gold leaf, have also entered the market, raising the bar further. Akash Junghare, a 42-year-old devotee, shared his festive ritual while buying a kilogram of dry fruit modaks for Rs 550 per kg. “We try to make it a point that we offer Bappa a different variety of modak every day in these 10 days,” he said. Home chefs too are catering to the demand. Vandana Joshi, who makes modaks at home, said, “We sell two types of fried coconut modaks, one fried in oil, around Rs 300 per kg, and another in pure ghee at Rs 350 per kg, which is about Rs 40 a piece.

 

We also make ukadiche modak, but only on order. A box of 21 pieces costs Rs 850.” Modern and fusion flavours are also drawing attention. Chocolate, saffron, fig, butterscotch, rose, and paan modaks are popular choices among younger buyers, while the traditional steamed ukadiche and fried versions remain timeless favourites. Many sweet shops have also started offering healthier alternatives with fillings of dates, figs, almonds, cashews, and pistachios, naturally sweetened without added sugar. From the rich saffron-laced kesar modaks to the crispy fried coconut versions and the exotic fusion flavours, the festive sweet has expanded far beyond its humble roots. Yet, no matter the price, modaks remain an inseparable part of Ganesh festival celebrations, a symbol of devotion, tradition, and indulgence.

 

 

While sweet shops brim with varieties, majority of devotees are still preferring to prepare traditional modaks at home to offer Bappa, believing that handmade prasad carries deeper spiritual significance. Fried modaks filled with puran (a mixture of jaggery and lentils) remain a staple in many households, as they are considered sacred and auspicious. For devotees, offering homemade modaks is not just about tradition but also about devotion and the purity of serving something prepared with their own hands.