In the small and dusty village of Sherpura in Northern Gujarat, a quiet revolution began in kitchens filled with the aroma of melting butter, rather than in boardrooms or factories. Central to that revolution is Manjula Ben, founder of the brand Gwalika. Gwalika is not just about the revival of India's ancient traditional art of ghee-making, but fundamentally reshaping the story for rural women across the country. 

 

From Sherpura to a Symbol of Change

 

Gwalika — "the wife of a Gwala (milkman)" — is an extension of a personal journey both as a form of survival and as a vision. Although Manjula Ben was educated, her marriage to a self-identified Gwala and her living in an area of the tribal south had brought her into a region where women were expected to remain invisible and their ambitions hidden behind closed doors. In contrast to this situation, she saw potential. 

For many months, she would be engaged with women in the village, who wanted to support the family, but were void of direction and opportunity. Manjula Ben viewed a possibility: steeped in tradition but empowered by community. 

 

The Birth of Gwalika: A Night that Changed Everything 

 

One evening, filled with aspiration and determination, Manjula Ben called together the women of Sherpura. What she told them was simple and yet profound - we would be reviving the traditional, crafted way of making ghee, not by machines, but in earthen pots over wood-burning stoves and by hand churning - the way we have for centuries in Rajasthan and Gujarat. 

This was not just about making ghee, but about reviving a forgotten craft and empowering an entire community of women to create something significant together. 

That night, Gwalika was born - a community-driven, women-led initiative, inspired by heritage, purposefully engaged, and created by the hands and hearts of rural India. 

 

What is so special about Gwalika ghee?

 

Every jar of Gwalika A2 Bilona ghee holds more than just clarified butter. It holds: 

• Tradition - produced using the ancient Bilona method, curd from desi cow milk is churned by hand in wooden churners and simmered in clay pots. 
• Purity - no shortcuts, preservatives or machines - nothing but patience, fire and soul. 
• Empowerment - every batch is made by village women who earn not only an income, but in respect, pride and dignity.

 

The Reason Gwalika Was Created

 

Fundamentally, Gwalika is the answer to a very personal question.

How can one woman's dream support her family and ignite so many other women's strength?

For Manjula Ben, the answer was easy - revive what's already ours. The knowledge is there. The tradition is there. It just needed a platform. And Gwalika became that platform - where heritage is celebrated, women are uplifted and genuine, meaningful livelihoods are established.

Gwalika: More than a Brand, a Movement

 

In a sea of mass-produced ghee, Gwalika is a movement. Gwalika means:

 

• Reviving traditional methods that were dying out
• Building sustainable jobs for rural women
• Connecting urban consumerism to ancestral Indian wellness
• Reclaiming food as medicine in our culture
• Every jar is handcrafted, every process has intention, and every woman is treated with value and paid for her contribution.

 

The Legacy Lives On

 

Gwalika is truly in a growth phase and is still committed to its roots. Manjula Ben and her team are not looking to grow at the expense of authenticity. Instead, they are training more women, raising awareness, and reconnecting people across India with what actual ghee tastes like - and what real empowerment feels like.

 

How to Support

 

If you believe in slow food, ancestral well-being, and women-led change, supporting Gwalika is easy:

•  Buy a jar of handcrafted ghee at [www.gwalika.in] 
•  Follow the journey on Instagram Gwalika_food 
•  Share the story - awareness is the first step to impact.

 

Finally

 

Manjula Ben did not set out to start a business. She set out to make an impact. So far, she has brought back a forgotten craft, provided a voice for rural women, and shown that tradition, if respected, is the most powerful form of progress.

Gwalika is more than India's most authentic handcrafted ghee; it is a demonstration of what happens when women lead, communities rise, and old ways find new purpose.