Man Drives Over 200KM From KL Every Deepavali Just To Buy Snacks From Ipoh’s Kacang Putih Village

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For P Ravi, Deepavali shopping involves more than just visiting the nearest supermarket or grocery store

Every year, the 56-year-old makes a journey of more than 200km from Kuala Lumpur to Kampung Kacang Putih in Buntong, Ipoh, to stock up on traditional snacks for the festival.

What started as a family preference has since become an annual tradition, with Ravi making the trip about a week before Deepavali to buy snacks for guests visiting his home.

He said the snacks sold in the village stand out for their quality and affordable prices compared with those available elsewhere.

"I leave Kuala Lumpur at around 7.30am, and it takes me more than two hours to get here. It is not a burden because this place has been my family's choice for the past six years," he told Bernama.

"We usually come here a week before the festival, and among our favourite items to serve guests are mixed murukku, plain murukku, and tapioca chips."

The Melaka-born man said he usually sets aside between RM500 and RM1,000 to buy different types of snacks from several shops in the area

Apart from serving them to guests during Deepavali, his family also packs the snacks as gifts for relatives, neighbours, and colleagues who visit their home.

He said the annual tradition is one way his family maintains relationships with the people around them.

"It has become a family tradition every time we celebrate the festival, as a way of strengthening ties with colleagues and neighbours," he said.

Civil servant K Gaayathri, 30, who also travels to Kampung Kacang Putih annually, shared a similar sentiment, saying the snacks are an essential part of her family's Deepavali celebrations.

She said the wide variety of snacks and flavours available makes them popular among guests, which is why she makes sure to buy them every year.

"That is why I never forget to get these snacks here. Deepavali celebrations just do not feel complete without such snacks being served to guests," she said.

The annual rush is also felt by businesses in Kampung Kacang Putih

DNS Kacang Putih manager S Sathis Kumar told the national news agency that demand for snacks at his premises increases by 60% during the Deepavali festive season compared with normal days.

He said customers came from various ethnic backgrounds and parts of the country, with preparations beginning about two weeks before the festival to accommodate the increase in orders.

"Usually, we start making preparations two weeks before Deepavali as we know demand will increase and customers will want to buy the various types of snacks sold here," he said.

"Among the products that are in high demand are spicy mixed murukku, kuih loyang, round murukku, kuih batu, as well as various types of sweets and laddoo."

Located in Buntong, Ipoh, Kampung Kacang Putih has been known for its extensive selection of kacang putih snacks and traditional delicacies for the past 60 years.

The businesses in the area have been passed down through three generations, attracting customers from different ethnic backgrounds, particularly in the weeks leading up to Deepavali.

Some of the snacks sold there include mixed murukku, pakoda, sivel, dal, aulu, poori, Sri Lankan pakoda, omom, kadalai, kacang susu, and tapioca chips.

For families like Ravi's, however, the village offers more than just a place to buy festive treats. It is part of a tradition they return to every year.