Halwai is a caste of Vaishya varna (community) with traditional primary occupation related to confectionery and sweet-making. The name is derived the word Halwa.
Baba Ganinath Govind is the kul Guru of Halwai / Madhesia caste. Halwai is also in Nepal.
Origins of the Halwai Caste
In some parts of Uttar Pradesh, some believe that they have descended from a man by the name 'Bhalandan.' This Bhalandan came into being due to the will of the Hindu god Brahma. This individual married a woman named Marutwati. Their son was an individual who was named Vatsa Priti. One of the latter's descendents, an individual called Modan, took to making sweetmeats.
The community set up its own association, the Kanyakubja Vaishya Halwai Mahasabha, which was established in Varanasi in the early part of the 1900s.