Suhail Khan
It is that time of the year when the demand for dried vegetables and fruits in Kashmir markets is high, but in this northern town of Kashmir, something new has hit the market, and its demand is touching the sky. Yes, it’s Gezzah’s homemade Tosha, a traditional sweet.
The demand for this traditional and mouth-watering sweet is high in the twin towns of the Baramulla district.
In an exclusive interview with The Web Story, Shaista, a resident of Sopore, the brain behind selling this sweet is on a mission to revive the culture and satiate the taste buds of the people.
Shaista is right now outsourcing the sweet delicacy to the various eateries in the towns of Sopore and Baramulla.
She started making Tosha in 2016 but it was very difficult to sell in the market as it is a winter dessert. However, at the initial stage, she started getting a very cold response from the people, with fewer orders from a few of the restaurants in the town.
Shaista said that there was hardly anyone to encourage her, but she didn’t give up and started believing in herself.
She explained, “I started a page on social media platforms Facebook and Instagram where I got few online orders, that too in a 15-day or 1-month gap, but it made me believe in myself and boost my confidence to continue this business.”
Later, after a lot of efforts, I finally got an order from Zero Miles Sopore Cafe, and I can say that this was the turning point of my business to continue, and I was also encouraged by this cafe.
The Tosha girl from Sopore stated that after gaining some customer recognition, she plans to expand her business and begin working on other products.
She said later she came up with non-vegetarian Achaar and other homemade products for which she is gaining a market, and people not only from north Kashmir but other parts of the world are giving her orders.
When asked how she got the idea to start Tosha, which was previously only prepared for a special occasion as a blessing, she replied that since her childhood, Tosha has been her favorite sweet.
“One day, I thought of why this sweet is not available in the market like other deserts, sweets. This stuck in my mind and I started working on it, and Alhamdulillah, the result is very fruitful,” she added.
Earlier it took me a month to sell 50-60 Toshas, now every day I use to make 100-200 Toshas which is indeed a proud moment for the people affiliated with me in this business.
Shaista is in the process of further extending this initiative.
The Tosha girl said it was very hard to set the stage earlier in the male-dominated society, but as time passes, she is now realizing equal change, and it hardly affects her anymore and gives her more chances to open the wings.
In her message to the girls, she stated that no matter who your father is, no matter who your brother is, no matter who your husband is, no matter how wealthy they are, you must focus on your dreams, be independent, follow your dreams, and, most importantly, be an inspiration to others, particularly other girls who are often discouraged.
“Be focused and don’t be afraid of failure; after every failure, there is a successful day, so don’t give up and fight for every difficult battle,” Shaista added.
She is warrior…wishing her all the luck…
Do u make home delivery of tosha
And what about rates