Rasgulla or Rosogolla is one of the most popular
sweets in Bangladesh. Barishal, one of the divisions of Bangladesh, is famous
for making this sweet. However, this dessert might have been originated from
West Bengal or Odisha and its origin is a matter of dispute between these two
Indian states. They have been fighting against each other for getting patent.
Bengali news about this dispute was published on BBC. I have just translated it
into English. At the end of the article, news link has been shared.
Where is the origin of Rasgulla- Bengal or Odisha?
A new ‘patent debate’ on the issue is about to be started in India.
Many
historians have acknowledged that Nobin Chandra Das, a confectioner of Kolkata
in the state of West Bengal, first invented Rasgulla in 1868, but now the
Odisha government of India is going to submit the claim for Geographical
Indications (GI)-which is equal to patent.
On
the logic that the custom of offering Rasgulla is practiced for hundreds of
years at Jagannath Temple in Puri of Odisha, they are going to submit a claim
on Rasgulla- though the Rasgulla makers of Kolkata have refused to accept it.
The
reason behind the bitter dispute between Odisha and West Bengal with the issue
of Rasgulla is that the researchers of Odisha are claiming that Rasgulla has
been created in their state and the offering of Rasgulla at Jagannath Temple
has been in practice for a long time.
Even
Rasgulla has come to Bengal through Odisha people. Asit Mohanty, editor of
Odisha’s famous periodical, Pourusha, and cultural experts, shared this with
BBC.
He
said, ‘At the middle of the nineteenth century, Odias used to work as cook in
many Bengali families. They were called Thakur. They carried the recipe of
Rasgulla from Odisha to Bengal- which is founded on many researches as
well. It can be said that Rasgulla was originated in Odisha, but it got
popularity in Bengal.’
Dhirendranath
Das refuses to accept this logic. He is the fourth generation descendant of
Nobin Chandra Das, who is recognized as the inventor of Rasgulla in Kolkata.
The
82-year-old Mr. Das said to BBC Bangla, ‘Rasgulla is the creation and culture
of Bengal. Since birth I have been hearing ‘Bagbazar’s Nobin Das is the
Columbus of Rasgulla. Look, this sponge like Rasgulla which has its specialty
inside- has this thing ever been made before? Whatever made before was like
strong grains.’
But
Rasgulla-debate is not stopped in this wordy duel. Now, the Odisha government
is going to claim Geographical Indication or ‘GI tag’. Hearing this news, West
Bengal is now taking preparation for counter appeal.
Once
this tag is granted, Odisha will get the patent on Rasgulla. That is why, with
the help of Das family, Ministry of Handicrafts of the West Bengal government
has also started to collect data about them.
But
Asit Mohanty said, although making cheese from milk is allowed in other Hindu
temples, offering of Rasgulla made by ‘chhena’ is a long tradition in Jagannath
temple, and it is a big logic in favor of Odisha.
According
to Mr. Mohanty, ‘The ritual of offering Rasgulla to gods Jagannath and Laxmi in
Niladri Bije after the ratha yatra is very old. A Mahapatra family is in charge
of this offering for many years. It can be one hundred, two hundred, even three
hundred years old custom.’
Nobin
Chandra Das’s family is saying, Odias have no idea about the specialty of
Rasgulla’s cheese (chhena-ছানা)!
According to Dhirendranath Das, Odisha’s claim is totally false. This cheese is
the result of many scientific researches of Nobin Das.
He
said, ‘People used to come from far away to see if Mr. Nobin was mixing
something, which held the Rasgulla and did not let the cheese get split. But he
made Rasgulla in front of everyone and showed this strange creation is possible
without mixing something in cheese.’
Kolkata
claims that original and genuine Rasgulla- in which there is no adulteration of
semolina or flour- will make Bengal victorious if there is any debate about
patent.
On
the other hand, Odisha is also being prepared to win the battle relying on
mythological tradition.
Source-
#Rasgulla #Rosogolla #Bengal #Odisha #India
