Somewhere in Pune right now, the humble modak is having a very busy season. A kitchen that started small in 2009 is now preparing for a feat that sounds almost absurd until you see the scale of the operation; 5 lakh Ukadiche Modaks, made with the help of 50+ women, in a bid to surpass its earlier record of 3 lakh modaks. Here’s what’s happening!
Pune’s Modakghar Is Taking Modak-Making To A Whole New Scale
This is Modakghar by Medhi’s, a Pune modak business that has grown from a small venture into a full-fledged modak-making powerhouse. The kitchen currently produces around 25,000 modaks every day, but Ganpati season takes things to another level.
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And there is something wonderfully old-school about the whole operation. These are not just sweets being churned out mechanically. Ukadiche Modak is a delicate business. Rice flour forms the soft outer shell, coconut and jaggery make up the fragrant filling, and then comes the part that demands patience: creating those tiny folds that give the modak its unmistakable shape before it is steamed.
Now picture those hands making 500,000 of them.
More than 50 women are working together for this mammoth production, turning a traditional kitchen skill into a huge collective effort. It is also a striking example of how a food tradition that has long lived inside Maharashtrian homes can become a livelihood and an enterprise without losing its handmade character.
Also Read: Pune Manache Ganpati: History, Significance & Where To Visit These 5 Honoured Mandals
Modakghar’s ₹10 Lakh Ganpati Order Adds To The Festive Rush
The numbers behind the business tell their own story. When the venture began in 2009, it was a much smaller operation. Today, Medhi’s has multiple Modakghar outlets in Pune, while its production operation has grown dramatically. Earlier reporting on the business has also documented its ability to make thousands of handmade modaks at scale.
This year comes with another eye-popping number: a ₹10 lakh order for Ganpati!
The 5-lakh target is particularly significant because the team is not starting from zero. Its previous achievement of 3 lakh modaks is being challenged with an even bigger goal this time. The feat has also received recognition from the World Book of Records.
There is something almost poetic about the contrast. A modak is tiny. The process of making one can be meticulous. Yet put hundreds of hands around a table, give them a mountain of rice flour, coconut and jaggery, and suddenly those tiny sweets become a record-breaking production.
Pune’s Ganpati celebrations have always been extravagant in their own way. This time, one kitchen is measuring that festive spirit in lakh after lakh of modaks.
Also Read: Why Are 21 Modaks Offered To Bappa? Here’s The Story Behind The Tradition
Where: Modakghar by Medhi’s, Pune, Maharashtra
When: 9 AM to 9:30 PM
Cost: ₹200 per person (approx)
Cover Image Courtesy: Internal
FAQs
What is Modakghar by Medhi’s?
Modakghar by Medhi’s is a Pune-based modak business that began in 2009 and has grown into a large-scale handmade modak production operation.
How many Ukadiche Modaks is Modakghar planning to make?
The team is aiming to make 5 lakh Ukadiche Modaks this Ganpati season, surpassing its earlier achievement of 3 lakh modaks.
Where is Modakghar by Medhi’s located?
Modakghar by Medhi’s is based in Pune, Maharashtra, with multiple outlets in the city.
