These are the streets where Bengaluru buys its authentic Sankranti Elu. lifestyle news

Last updated:13 January 2026, 16:54 IST

Unlike many festive delicacies that reside inside sweet shops, Sankranti Aalu hits the streets. It is sold in small streets in Jayanagar, Gandhi Bazaar and Malleshwaram.

In a quiet street in Jayanagar, Jayamma, an elderly woman, sits behind a small folding table. In front of him are neatly bundled bundles of Sankranti Ilu, carefully packed in small plastic covers. Some packets have aloo mixed in, others are thoughtfully arranged with each ingredient set aside – finely chopped jaggery, desiccated coconut pieces, husked and golden roasted peanut pieces, roasted gram, white sesame seeds, and small sugar figurines called Sakkare Achchu.

She smiles at passers-by, not like a salesman, but like someone carrying on a tradition.

By evening the same scene is repeated in Gandhi Bazaar, Malleshwaram and dozens of small streets in between. Not in malls. Not in the supermarket. But on footpaths, near temples, outside houses. For a few days every January, Bengaluru turns into a city that sells memories by the packet.

What does Sankranti Elu really mean?

Sankranti Aalu is not just a festive snack. It is a ritual of sharing that symbolizes Makar Sankranti in Karnataka. Traditional offerings usually include roasted sesame seeds, jaggery, peanuts, dry coconut, roasted gram and small animal-shaped Chinese sweets, flowers and dolls known as Sakkare Achchu.

In many homes these ingredients are mixed together. Some people like to add colored small sugar candy or cumin seeds coated in sugar to it. But, the meaning remains the same – sweetness, warmth and good words for the coming year.

The saying “Elu Bela Thindu Ole Mathu Aadu” sums it up best – eat sesame seeds and jaggery, speak sweet words.

Unlike many festive delicacies that reside inside sweet shops, Sankranti Aalu hits the streets. In neighborhoods like Jayanagar, Gandhi Bazaar and Malleshwaram, residents set up small tables in front of their houses, and sell neatly packed portions.

There is no branding. No attractive board. Just quiet lines of tradition waiting to attract attention. There are also heaps of sugarcane, sweet potatoes and other winter fruits and vegetables that are part of the Sankranti meal.

Where to buy Sankranti Ilu in Bengaluru

If you want the most authentic experience, visit the older parts of the city. In Jaynagar, especially around 3^third and 4^th Along the blocks, Basavanagudi border lanes and near major temples, you will find houses and small street tables selling beautifully packaged alu sets.

Gandhi Bazaar becomes a festive corridor during Sankranti week. From the main market to the streets near Ramakrishna Ashram, women stand in queues carrying trays and baskets of alu, offering different styles – mixed for convenience, different for tradition lovers.

Malleshwaram reflects the same spirit, especially near Sampige Road and 8th Cross, where you’ll find both home-grown vendors and small traditional stores offering their own versions of the concoction.

Some packets are heavy on jaggery. Some people add more peanuts. Some extra sakkare comes with achchu. No two are exactly alike, and that’s the beauty of it. Along with Ilu, people also buy sugarcanes which are essential when distributing Ilu to friends and family.

Earlier women used to make this alu-bela mixture and sakkare achchu at home. There are some people who continue to do so. But it is a laborious elaborate process that requires weeks of preparation, cutting the dried coconut and jaggery into small pieces, roasting, sun-drying, packing, etc. When things are easy and available in good quality, people reach for them and keep the festive tradition alive in Bengaluru.

Why do people still shop from small street tables?

You can find Sankranti Alu in major stores today. It will be neatly branded and completely sealed. But most Bengaluruans still turn to small tables outside homes. Because when you buy alu from someone’s door, you are not just buying the material. You are buying continuity.

For older residents, festivals have always worked this way. For young families, this becomes a way to show children that celebrations don’t always have to come from shelves and counters.

By nightfall the belongings of the woman from Jayanagar were almost sold. There are only a few neatly packed sets left, the Sakkare Achchu carefully stacked on top. And Bengaluru households get ready to share them with a piece of sugarcane and spread the sweetness along with the blessings of good health.