"The traditional belief in Braj mandal (Lord Krishna's land) is that winter is the time to build health," Shishir Bhagat of the 250-year-old Bhagat Halwai shop told IANS.
He explains that it is in this season that people ought to take plenty of "solid food, consume lots of ghee (clarified butter), laddoos and drink milk with kesar and dry fruits".
"To hell with cold!" adds Surendra Sharma of Goverdhan hotel. How?
"(Eat) pista and kajoo ki barfi, til ke laddoo, gajar ka halwa and rounded up with maghai or Banarsi paan with zarda and kimam," he answers.
According to Vrindavan's Acharya Jaimini, daal-baati-choorma, makkey ki roti or bajrey ki roti and saag are equally hot favourites at this time of the year.
Vrindavan resident Kunj Bihari Sharma explains: "The hot kesar flavoured milk with a thick layer of malayi is in great demand both in Vrindavan and at Vishram Ghat in Mathura.
"Thakurjis (deities) in all temples of the Braj region are being offered dry fruits-filled burfi and hot milk," he added.
Of course, hot tea -- at times laced with ginger -- is always in demand at every nook and corner shop.
"For aam aadmi, it is moongfali and gur chikkis," said priest Madhukar Chaturvedi.
Agra is famous for gajjak. If made with jaggery, he adds, "it is not only nourishing but provides protection against cold".
