Dombivli: Homemade Diwali Faral (snacks) made in Dombivli is sent to 250 friends and relatives across different countries all around the world. After the pandemic this year, it all started again so that students studying and families staying abroad get the homemade faral taste this year. In a week-long project by Sunil Shevde, who prepares and couriers the homemade faral abroad.
Shevde, a 60-year-old man who owns Suras food and faral shop in Dombivli, had sent faral this year to different countries including the US, Singapore, UK, Canada, Dubai, Qatar, Australia, Germany, Ireland among others.
Shevde claims to be working in an automobile company till 1998 when it got shut. "Instead of sitting idle, I started preparing snacks at home. It sold wholesale across Thane and Mumbai. In 2002, I got a shop and started a retail business in Dombivli. However, gathering local contacts, we started sending faral during Diwali to abroad in 2008. Since then, we have been sent to around 176 places across different countries. The first order in 2008 we received was from America," he added.
Shevde further added that the concept is to make students and families feel Diwali away from home. "Firstly we prepare homemade faral. Secondly, people who had prepared it at home, come for the delivery abroad. We have a tie-up with a courier company, which helps us reach the faral across different countries. This year we have sent it to 250 places of students and relatives across the world," he added.
In a week-long program, Shevde had hired a hall in Dombivli. "We have the shop for local retails. The hall is only for sending faral to relatives and friends in a different state and abroad. We have six people in the hall who manage the complete process of accepting the product or taking order and delivering it to the respective places," added Shevde.
