26/08/2026
There are certain people without whom one's success feels incomplete—people whose value cannot be measured in monetary terms. Colonel Anupriya Bali is one such friend of 'Chocolate Maniac'. She first visited our shop after seeing a video of ours on Facebook, marking the beginning of our relationship. Through her, we were introduced to numerous Indian Army officers, and in the course of our conversations, they presented us with an extraordinary proposal.
They expressed great interest in conducting a handmade chocolate making workshop at the Indian Army Officers Mess in Barrackpore. Incidentally, we had been thinking about conducting a chocolate making class for some time now, but we were not confident because we had never conducted any class and had no experience, so there was some hesitation. So at first we said no, but Colonel Anupriya Madam kept encouraging us in various ways, finally yesterday, August 25th, Colonel Anupriya organized a workshop at the MNS Officers' Mess in Barrackpore. She specifically asked us to bring our little daughter along; we arrived at 5 PM, and, as usual, we felt a strange sense of nervousness. However, Colonel Anupriya’s friendly demeanor helped dispel much of that tension, and she introduced us to everyone as her friends. The people present were either officers or their family members.
Their friendly demeanor quickly dispelled any tension or hesitation, creating a delightful atmosphere as the workshop unfolded amidst laughter, fun, and refreshments. Each participant crafted beautiful chocolates with their own hands for the first time, asked various questions about the intricacies of chocolate making, and took great pleasure in tasting their own creations.
Anyway, the evening turned out wonderfully; at 9:30 PM, an officer drove us to the ferry terminal. As we boarded the launch, weary yet content, a remarkable feeling still enveloped us—a sense of friendship and love. The warmth of the sincerity shown by people we hadn't even known until that afternoon still filled our hearts. Our hearts were filled with gratitude towards Colonel Anupriya Bali, the person behind all of this. It was thanks to her that we gained the confidence to start something new, and also found a good friend.