Agra is famous for a variety of sweet delicacies, ‘Petha’ is the most cherished of all. It is indeed interesting to note that Petha originated in the royal kitchens of the Mughal Empire in the seventeenth century. It is said that Emperor Shah Jahan once ordered his royal chefs to prepare a special sweet that would be as pure and as white as the Taj Mahal. For the last more than 350 years, Petha continues to be one of the most loved and well-known dishes and favourite among the tourist as well.

The main ingredient used to make Petha is ash gourd or white pumpkin, along with sugar and water, and is considered the purest dessert in the world. Petha is not cooked on a regular cooking fire, but only coal fire. Over the years, different flavours of Petha has been available in the market, including kesar, paan, cherry, angoori, chocolate, and more. Panchhi Petha is one of the oldest and famous brands but many more have come up in the city of Agra.