Chaku Crafting in Tokha: From Tradition to Global Delight

KATHMANDU, Jan 15:Tokha is a treasure trove of sugarcane that makes chaku possible. In the Newari language, 'tu' means sugarcane, and 'khyah' means field'. As Tokha is a famous place for sugarcane cultivation, plain chaku, masala chaku,and various forms of laddus and pustakaris are produced here.

Chaku, which is a delicacy made of jaggery, sugarcane juice, ghee and nuts. The quality and quantity of its production in tokha is unbeatable and is being sold in Asan, Indrachok, Bhaktapur, Patan, Kirtipur and outside the valley in Narayanghat, Pokhara, Butwal, Biratnagar and other cities in the Kathmandu Valley as well. With Maghe Sankranti right around the corner, the industrialists of Tokha have honed in on their chaku making skills.

The manufacturing process unfolds in these establishments, where the intense heat and the alluring scent of hot chaku envelop visitors. Vats filled with concentrated jaggery simmer on stoves, transitioning into solid forms that are then cooled in earthen pots.

Rajkaji Shrestha, the owner of Tokha Chaku Industry has been producing the sweet taffy in Tokha for almost five decades. He explained the rich history of chaku making and the complicated but fruitful process behind it.

Chaku produced in Tokha is usually sold at a rate of Rs. 35 to Rs. 100 per 200 grams. In Newari culture, it is customary to eat the sweet taffy on the 1st of the Nepali month of Magh, which is January 15th this year.

It is believed that consuming chaku has many benefits for the body, as well as developing the ability to fight disease. It is also good for children and the elderly to eat chaku in the winter months.

Photo By: Prashant Pradhan