Tuesday 27 April 2021

Wikipedia, Rasgulla War, Wife And Husband Fight #RasagolaA2Z

 Wikipedia

Wikipedia is a popular website that is consulted by many to refer to and check information.
But, misleading and wrong information published and available there, gets further impetus when quoted, shared and propagated.

This has happened in the case of the dessert Rasgulla i.e. Rasagola.
While the Wikipedia entry regarding this 'king of sweets' earlier (prior to 2015) showed Odisha as the place of origin as the sweet, the present Wiki article, after many edits and revisions over the years, now has incorrect information.

In the last couple of years, especially from 2015 when Odisha celebrated the Rasagola Dibasa i.e. Rasgulla Day, there has been propaganda and wrong information even in leading newspapers. Such sources have been cited as references for many articles published in Wikipedia.

Note- Rasagola has always been called Rasagola in the Shree Jagannatha Temple, Puri.

It "was" never called "Khira Mohana" unlike what Wikipedia states. Wikipedia has based this information from a Times of India news report of 2015!

Over the past several years, this writer has spoken to many servitors and Shree Jagannatha culture experts, many of whom had not even heard of the word Khirmohan!
Rasagola is called Khirmohan in Salepur, Odisha, and in some other places.

Requesting Wikipedia to please remove the wrong information and update the correct info.


Rasgulla War

Rasagola is referred to by different names in different parts of India and the world.
But, that cannot change the fact that Odisha is the birthplace of the Rasagola.

Our intention was just to inform everyone this fact.
Odisha started celebration of Rasgulla Day online in 2015.

These posts have more details-

Rasagola Day (published on 8 July, 2015)

Rasagola Dibasa (published on 13 July, 2015)

What started as an exercise to inform and make the world aware that Rasagola is a part of our centuries-old tradition, was and is still referred as- Ragulla war or battle.

Many still wonder why people should "fight for a sweet".
Some play peace-makers and console by saying- "Rasgulla belongs to India".
Some "don't care which state Rasgulla belongs to". They are just interested to eat Rasgulla!
Some still wrongly believe- "Odisha lost and Bengal won the Rasgulla War."

Note- Odisha has NOT lost the Rasgulla War.

Odisha Rasagola has earned the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2019.
Which GI certificate can you see on the Wikipedia article on the GIs of India?



Had Odisha not celebrated a Rasgulla Day online, there would have been no Rasgulla War or effort to file the GI tag.
Many people would not learn about Rasgulla's prime role on Niladri Bije, and the continuing ritual on the last day of the Ratha Jatra.
Now information is being shared in other languages. 

Wife And Husband Fight

Fights between wives and husbands are not very uncommon in the human world.
But, is the situation any different in the case of the Lord of the Universe?

How many know about the fight between the divine couple- Devi Lakshmi and Shree Jagannatha?
Rath Yatra is indeed a Sweet Yatra.

When this writer first proposed celebration of Rasagola Dibasa online in 2015, many were unaware about Rasagola's important role on Niladri Bije. After Lakshmi Narayana Bachanika, Rasagola is offered for Manabhanjana.

Speaking Tree, Times Of India, Niladri Bije, Rath Yatra- July 2020

Goddess Lakshmi is angry as Her husband, Lord Jagannatha, did not take Her along, rather went with His siblings for Rath Yatra.
The divine couple have a discussion and then Lord Jagannatha offers Rasagolas to appease Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess is then pleased, and finally allows Lord to enter the temple.

This is a centuries-old tradition, conducted every year on Niladri Bije.

"Lord Jagannath placates angry Mahalakshmi, reenters temple"-


I’m participating in the April #A2ZChallenge #BlogchatterA2Z

W For- Wife, Wikipedia, War

I am writing A-Z posts about Rasagola26 #RasagolaA2Z posts this April :

A- A To Z of Rasagola - April 1- Utkala Dibasa

B- Blatant Lies And Biased Reports About Rasgulla Invention

C- Cottage-Cheese, Chhena And Comments About Rasgulla

D- Rasgulla Day - Rasagola Dibasa Celebration

E- Odisha Rasagola At Exhibitions And Events

F- Facts, Fake News, And False Information About Rasgulla

G- GI Tags of Odisha And Odisha Rasagola

H- Historical Evidence of Rasgulla And Research

I- Indigenous Knowledge, IPR, Rasgulla And Indian Sweets

J- Lord Jagannatha's Favourite Sweet & Food

K- Khirmohan And Rasagola

L- List of Lunar & Solar Indian New Year Days

M- Maha Bishuba Sankranti Or Pana Sankranti

NName Rasgulla, Niladri Bije And New Year Wishes

O- Odisha Art And Sweet- Pattachitra And Rasgulla 

P- Proposal to Odisha Government For Rasagola And GI Celebration

QQuiz About Rasgulla 

RRasabali And Rasagola

SRasgulla Songs- Odia Songs Dedicated To Rasagola 

TText-books, Torture, And Rasgulla GI Tag

UUniform Spelling And Authorised Users of Rasagola

VValuable Victorious Virtue - Valour

This sincere attempt is to share information about Rasagola/Rasgulla and #EndRasgullaDebate.
Rasagola is a part of Odisha's traditional knowledge, continuing tradition, cultural heritage and identity.  
More Rasagola posts here.
This is my fifth #A2Z Challenge, and my last four challenges have been about Odisha, India. 
Are you aware of Rasagola/Rasgulla? Did you know that Rasgulla originated in Odisha? 

Please do share any information about Rasgulla that you may have and which you feel must be documented and shared so that all are aware.   

6 comments:

  1. Never trust Wikipedia. It is not written by knowledgeable experts. Anyone can edit existing Wikipedia page. For example, tomorrow I can go and change it to show Rasgulla was invented in Timbaktoo.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Exactly Wikipedia cannot be trusted but it still is the first source of reference for everyone and needs to put correct information out there. Had heard the story of Devi Lakshmi on our visit to Puri
    Deepika Sharma

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you once again for clearing the misconception and reminding about our sweet and beautiful traditions.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wikipedia editors do have a lot of bias. I have also pointed out a few in my blog posts.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Guess you and I will become rivals when it comes to who invented rasgulla first war :D

    But as far as the ecstasy is concerned there can't be any argument.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Niladri Bije is my favourite when the Lord Jagannath offers Rasagola to his beloved wife. Your posts are not just facts but the proof of consistent endeavour done by you to bring forth the truth! Commendable.

    ReplyDelete

Your words mean a lot to me.

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