Text-books, Torture, And Rasgulla GI Tag #RasagolaA2Z

Rasgulla, being the 'king of sweets', is a favourite sweet and popular treat for many.

Rasgulla makes its rich presence felt in many occasions, events, and celebrations.

But, before 2015, when we celebrated #RasagolaDibasa online, very few even associated Odisha with Rasagola.

Ever wonder why and how is it that Odisha is never the top-of-mind recall when Rasgulla is discussed?

Text-Books

Rasgulla finds generous mention in the text-books.

My friend, Smt. Sujata Padhy, informed me that her daughter's text-book has a question about Rasgulla. I requested her to share a photograph of the said question. 

She sent the following image of the said page from her daughter's Std III Social Studies text-book:

I have been researching about Rasagola for long and have been thinking a lot about what is being taught, especially after finding more such questions and text from text-books-

Rasgulla Songs - Odia Songs Dedicated To Rasagola #RasagolaA2Z

Despite being the birthplace of Rasagola, Odisha did not have many songs dedicated to Rasagola. 

However, thanks to our celebration of #RasagolaDibasa online from 2015 onwards, the "Rasgulla debate/controversy" was sparked, and now there are many songs in honour of this sweet delicacy.

Rasgulla songs have not only been created in Odia language, but in many other languages of India also. 

Just do a simple search for Rasgulla songs on Google/YouTube. How many results can you find?

The activism and advocacy for Rasagola Dibasa celebration and for Odisha Rasagola Geographical Indication (GI) tag resulted in some creative song and music endeavour. 

Some of them are shared below:

1) Rasagola Song 

Rapper Big Deal included Rasagola in his rap song.

Have you heard this song of @rapperbigdeal ?
ଆପଣ ଏହି ଗୀତ ଶୁଣିଛନ୍ତି କି? @mte2o

This specific line on “Let them know #Rasagola is from Odisha” have a different fan base @_ChronicCruiser @neegam_kumar @debiprasadss @ruchipanigrahi @shai_bal @priyabrat3 @ashutosh_odisha pic.twitter.com/2FKHbW0jYW

— wear a mask. covid kills 😷 (@1_theDash) September 17, 2020

From 2015, this writer has been contacting stakeholders and eminent personalities of different fields and sensitizing them about the Rasagola issue and requesting for support for representation of Rasagola and Odisha in the media. 

Audio visual media like songs, documentaries, movies etc. have a great impact. 

Rasabali And Rasagola #RasagolaA2Z

Odisha has many sweets and treats.

Most people are yet to be introduced to the rich cuisine of Odisha.

Odisha has many sweets starting with the word- Rasa.

You can learn more about them in this post- Rasa, Rasakora, Rasabara, And Rasagola in Odia 

Do you know that Pages 7007-7020 of the Volume VI of Purnachandra Odia Bhasakosha (Purnachandra Odia Dictionary) list words starting with ‘Rasa’?
Rasa is related to Odisha's culture.
Rasa, Rasakora, Rasabara, Rasagola in Odia language -https://t.co/0g9pV6jRr3#RasagolaDibasa pic.twitter.com/SMVCcHJBsj

— Dr. Anita Sabat (@anitaexplorer) July 25, 2018

Rasabali and Rasagola are traditional sweets of Odisha that are prepared using cottage-cheese i.e. chhena. They have been offered as bhog/prasad for centuries at important temples namely- Shree Baladevjew Temple, Kendrapara, & Shree Jagannatha Temple, Puri.

But, many are yet to taste these Odia sweets.

As this writer has been constantly stressing, we need to promote these by ensuring branding and uniform spelling all across-

Rasabali (not Rasavali or Rasaballi etc.) & Rasagola (not Rasogolla or Rosogolla etc.)

Breaking News

The ‘Breaking News’ confirmed about alien-invasion.

Photo Prompt- David Stewart

No one could explain how so many fluorescent eggs had landed.

CCTV footage showed an UFO.

The mysterious UFO was undetected by any radar.

What would the eggs hatch into? Was this a plan to takeover our planet?

Lini was startled to see the uncanny news.

Quiz About Rasgulla #RasagolaA2Z

Many Quiz books have the correct information that- Odisha is the birthplace of Rasgulla/Rasagola.  

Here is one of the questions of the first Odisha Quiz that I had conducted on Twitter in 2014-

Q5- Identify this traditional cheese-based syrupy sweet-dish that originated in #Odisha. #TravelKatha @odisha_tourism pic.twitter.com/YNqcwXtOt5

— Photokatha.in (@Photokatha) January 17, 2014

How many answers you know about the "King of Sweets"- Rasgulla?

It is called "Rasagola" in Odisha.

Let us check your RQ- Rasagola Quotient :)

Questions:

Q1- Odisha Rasagola has got the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2019- 

A) True

B) False 

Q2- Name the place in Odisha where Padma Shri Sudarsan Pattnaik, sand-artist, has created these sand art-

Proposal To Odisha Government For Rasagola And GI Celebration #RasagolaA2Z

We have been celebrating Rasagola Dibasa on Social Media on Niladri Bije starting 2015.
July 30, 2015 was the Niladri Bije of the Nabakalebara Ratha Jatra.
This year 2021 will mark the 7th celebration.

There were many developments after our maiden Rasagola Dibasa celebration online. (Many people didn't even know about Niladri Bije till then.) 

It was encouraging to see the action following earnest request for Geographical Indication (GI) application for Odisha Rasagola.

Open Letter To @CMO_Odisha @Naveen_Odisha @MsmeDepartment #Odisha #StateGovernment :
Kindly answer the questions & let us know what steps are you taking to file application for our Odisha #Rasagola & other GI-status-worthy Odisha products:https://t.co/nzeuWUa4uY#RasagolaProject pic.twitter.com/OxCovDYCMj

— Dr. Anita Sabat (@anitaexplorer) January 5, 2018

For some intellectuals, GI tag did/does not matter and some find/found it - "amusing to see netizens being vocal about GI tag just because of some sort of ill-reasoned vanity & self admiration." 

It was wonderful that our advocacy for Odisha Rasagola GI Tag was rewarded.

Odisha Art And Sweet- Pattachitra And Rasgulla #RasagolaA2Z

Pattachitra is a traditional fine-art of Odisha. 

Like Rasagola, Pattachitra too is linked with Shree Jagannatha Temple, Puri, Odisha, India. 

The word Pata comes from the Sanskrit word "Patta" meaning “a piece of cloth” and "Chitra" meaning "painting". 

Niladri Bije is celebrated as Rasgulla Day i.e. #RasagolaDibasa.

As per the centuries-old continuing tradition of Puri Temple, Lord Jagannath offers Rasagolas (Rasgullas) to appease His wife, Devi Laxmi. Also, each year, on this last day of Rath Yatra, the devotees offer Rasagolas to the deities.

Name Rasgulla, Niladri Bije, And New Year Wishes #RasagolaA2Z

Name - Rasgulla , Rasagola, Rasgolla, Rasogolla, Rosogolla, Roshogulla...

The definition of Name as per the Merriam Webster Dictionary-

Definition of name-

1a: a word or phrase that constitutes the distinctive designation of a person or thing

b: a word or symbol used in logic to designate an entity

2: a descriptive often disparaging epithet

3a: REPUTATION

b: an illustrious record : FAME

c: a person or thing with a reputation

4: FAMILY, CLAN

5: appearance as opposed to reality

6: one referred to by a name

Whenever the name Rasagola / Rasgulla  or any of its myriad spellings/pronunciation comes up, most people instantly think of one eastern state of India and its capital city.

Have you ever wondered how and why is it so? 

That is the top-of-mind recall. People are not aware about the true place of origin- Rasagola is the Sweet Treat of Odisha. 

The misinformation cycle continues.

Very few know the reality about Rasagola name and origin. The word 'Rasagola' exists in 15th Century Odia Ramayana (when Calcutta city where Rasgulla is believed to have been "invented in 1868" did not even exist.) 

Name Rasagola was coined in Odisha that has many desserts, dishes and other words starting with Rasa like Rasakora, Rasabara, Rasabali, Rasakhai, Rasaphena, Rasmalai, Rasagola and many more.

Rasagola still plays an important role in Rath Yatra celebration. Thus, it is a Sweet Yatra.

Rasagola is as old as the Rath Yatra.

Maha Bishuba Sankranti or Pana Sankranti And Rasagola #RasagolaA2Z

April 14th is the Maha Bishuba Sankranti.

It is celebrated as the Odia New Year. It is also called- Pana Sankranti.

Art by- Shri Rabindra Kumar Maharana

Many regions of India celebrate their New Year around this time. More information in the previous post-List of Lunar And Solar Indian New Year Days.

In Odisha and in Odia households, a special drink called Pana is prepared and available on Pana Sankranti. 

Pana offered in glasses & containers; PC- Shared on WhatsApp

List of Lunar And Solar Indian New Year Days #RasagolaA2Z

Our country is celebrating the Hindu new year festivals now. In our vast country, famous for its diversity, many days are celebrated as the New Year Days in different parts. The observance is based on the calendar followed by the region- whether lunar or solar calendar.

For the regions that follow the Solar calendar, the new year falls in the month of Vaishakha or April in calendar:

- Baisakhi in North and Central India, 

- Rongali Bihu or Bohag Bihu in Assam, 

- Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, 

- Vishu in Kerala, 

- Pana Sankranti in Odisha (celebrated in Chaitra month)

- Poila Boishakh in Bengal 

For the regions that follow Lunar calendar, the new year is celebrated on the first day in the month of Chaitra (corresponding to March-April):

- Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka 

- Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra. 

In many parts of India, New Year Celebrations begin in the spring.

Please refer to this webpage for the full list of lunar and solar Indian New Year Days along with the usual dates for celebration.

Today, April 14th is the Odia Nababarsa i.e. the Odia New Year, also called Mahabishuba Sankranti or Pana Sankranti.

A delicious refreshing drink called Pana is prepared. 

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