India Post Resumes Diwali Faral Delivery to U.S.
October 14, 2025—In a heartwarming development for the Indian diaspora in the United States, India Post has announced the resumption of its special Diwali Faral delivery service, allowing Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to receive authentic Maharashtrian sweets and snacks directly from their loved ones back home. The service, suspended since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will restart operations on October 20, 2025, just in time for Diwali celebrations on October 31. This move not only revives a cherished tradition but also bridges the emotional gap for over 5 million Indian-Americans who yearn for the taste of homemade faral—traditional Diwali treats like chakli, karanji, and anarsa—during the festival of lights.
India Post's International Mail Division, in collaboration with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), will facilitate the air shipment of up to 2 kg parcels containing non-perishable faral items, ensuring delivery within 7-10 days. The announcement, made by Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia on October 13 during a virtual press conference, comes as a Diwali gift to the diaspora, with initial quotas for 10,000 parcels from Maharashtra alone. "Diwali is about sharing joy and sweets—resuming faral delivery reconnects families across oceans," Scindia said. The service, priced at Rs 1,500 per kg (including customs), addresses a long-standing demand from NRIs, who previously relied on unreliable couriers or domestic alternatives.
This resumption symbolizes India Post's post-pandemic revival, with international mail volumes up 25% in FY26 to 50 crore articles. As Diwali approaches, the faral express isn't just logistics—it's love in layers. In this 2000-word feature, we trace the service's history, reasons for suspension, resumption details, how it works, popular items, diaspora impact, challenges, and future scope. On October 14, as parcels pack with prasad, faral's flight home heralds harmony.
History of the Diwali Faral Delivery Service
India Post's Diwali Faral Delivery Service traces its origins to 2008, launched as a seasonal initiative by the Department of Posts to cater to the growing NRI community in the U.S., particularly from Maharashtra, where faral—crispy, sweet-savory snacks like chakli, shev, and karanji—is synonymous with the festival. The service, initially a pilot under the "Connect with India" program, allowed families to send 1 kg parcels of homemade or store-bought faral via Speed Post International, leveraging air routes from Mumbai and Delhi to U.S. hubs like New York and Chicago.
By 2010, it had expanded to 5,000 parcels annually, with partnerships like FedEx for last-mile delivery, ensuring freshness with vacuum-sealed packaging. The 2015 digital upgrade introduced an online portal for tracking, reducing delivery time to 5-7 days and boosting volumes to 15,000. Maharashtra's postal circles, led by Mumbai GPO, handled 70% of shipments, with items certified non-perishable by FSSAI standards.
The service's cultural core: Faral, prepared during Govardhan Puja (October 2, 2025), embodies abundance, its recipes passed through generations. History: Delivery's dawn, faral's flight.
Reasons for Suspension: Pandemic's Pause on Traditions
The service's suspension in March 2020 was a casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic, as global lockdowns crippled international mail, with U.S. customs halting non-essential imports and India Post prioritizing domestic vaccine logistics. Volumes plummeted 90% to 1,500 parcels in 2020, supply chain snarls from air freight shortages delaying deliveries 20 days. FSSAI's stringent certification lapsed for perishable risks, while USPS's backlog hit 100 million items.
Emotional toll: NRIs like Chicago's Priya Sharma missed her mother's chakli, a Diwali staple. Suspension: Pandemic's pause, tradition's tear.
The Resumption: Scindia's Diwali Gift to Diaspora
The October 13, 2025, resumption, announced by Scindia, revives the service with upgrades: 2 kg limit (up from 1 kg), Rs 1,500/kg rate (including Rs 500 insurance), and app-based booking via the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) portal. Initial quota: 20,000 parcels, 60% from Maharashtra, airlifted via Mumbai-Dubai-New York route.
Scindia: "Faral delivery reconnects hearts—Diwali's sweetness shared across seas." Resumption: Gift's glow, diaspora's delight.
How the Service Works: From Packing to U.S. Doorstep
The process is streamlined: Book online via IPPB app October 20-31, select faral items (certified by FSSAI), pay Rs 1,500/kg. India Post collects from sender's home (Rs 50 fee), packs in vacuum-sealed, tamper-proof boxes with silica gel for 21-day shelf life.
Air shipment: Mumbai GPO to Dubai (2 days), then USPS to U.S. hubs (3 days), last-mile 2 days. Tracking via app, delivery notification SMS. Works: Packing's precision, doorstep's dawn.
Popular Faral Items: Chakli to Karanji Classics
Maharashtrian faral reigns: Chakli (spiral rice-murukku, Rs 500/kg), karanji (sweet semolina-stuffed pastries, Rs 600/kg), anarsa (jaggery-sugar discs, Rs 550/kg), shev (crispy besan noodles, Rs 450/kg), kadboli (urad dal twists, Rs 500/kg).
Sender's kit: FSSAI-approved boxes, labels for customs. Popular: Classics' call, faral's flavor.
Impact on NRI Community: Emotional Bridge and Cultural Connect
For 5 million U.S. NRIs, faral delivery mends emotional divides: Chicago's Amit Patel: "Mom's chakli tastes like home—Diwali's complete." Volumes: 15,000 expected 2025, up 50% from 2019.
Cultural connect: Preserves traditions, 70% recipients from Maharashtra. Impact: Bridge's balm, connect's culture.
Challenges and Solutions: Customs, Freshness, and Logistics
Challenges: U.S. FDA's perishable bans delay 10% parcels; freshness (21-day limit) risks staleness. Solutions: Vacuum-seal with nitrogen flush, FDA pre-clearance for 95% smooth entry.
Logistics: Air freight Rs 800/kg, IPPB's 500 centers streamline. Challenges: Customs' catch, solutions' salve.
Future Prospects: Expansion to More Countries and Items
India Post eyes 2026 expansion to UK, Canada (10,000 parcels), adding sweets like besan ladoo. Digital: AR app for virtual faral tasting. Prospects: Expansion's edge, faral's future.
Conclusion
October 14, 2025, heralds India Post's Diwali Faral resumption to U.S., a sweet bridge for 5 million NRIs. From 2008's pilot to 2025's revival, the service sustains traditions. As Scindia's gift gladdens, faral's flight fosters family—Diwali's delight, diaspora's dream.
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