On ‘pakhala divas’ Odisha celebrates its unique dish with fanfare

Bhubaneswar: To promote this unique cuisine ‘Pakhala Divas’ is celebrated on March 20 every year since 2015. It is the best dish to ‘beat the heat’ in summers. Pakhala is the Odia term for an Indian dish consisting of cooked rice that is lightly fermented in water. The water of the dish is called ‘Torani’.

In order to make the traditional Odia dish more delicious curd, cucumber, cumin seeds, fried onions and curry leaves are also added to the fermented rice.

Mostly, people prefer to eat it with side dishes such as fried potato (aloo bhaja), fried brinjal (baigana bhaja), fried and crushed badi (badi churaa), sauted greens (saga bhajaa), fish fry (maaccha bhaja) or fried pumpkin flowers (kakharu phula bhaja). There are many classifications of this dish such as Jeera Pakhala, Dahi Pakhala, Garama Pakhala and Basi Pakhala.

Pakhala is not only popular in Odisha but neighbouring states such as West Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu have also added it in their cuisine. However, they all have different names for it. Where in West Bengal it is called ‘Panta bhat,’ people in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh call it ‘Paani Bhat.’ Similarly, in Assam it is known as ‘Poita Bhat’ and in Tamil Nadu it is called ‘Pazhaya Sadam.’

Internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has once again created a sand sculpture on Puri beach to mark the occasion.

Take a look: 

World Pakhala Divas: Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik’s sand art on #Puri beach to mark #PakhalaDibasa#Odisha pic.twitter.com/x2Whoyp48g

— Kalinga TV (@Kalingatv) March 20, 2023

The Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik has also wished people on the occasion and said,  “Pakhaal is one of the unique dishes of Oriya cuisine. It is unique in the diversity of our food. #ପଖାଳଦିବସ conveying my best wishes to all and calling for everyone’s determination and concerted efforts towards the spread of traditional food.” #PakhalaDibasa

Take a look: 

ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଖାଦ୍ୟର ନିଆରା ସମ୍ଭାର ମଧ୍ୟରେ ପଖାଳ ଅନ୍ୟତମ। ଏହା ଆମ ଖାଦ୍ୟର ବିବିଧତା ମଧ୍ୟରେ ସ୍ୱତନ୍ତ୍ର। #ପଖାଳଦିବସ ରେ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଜଣାଇବା ସହ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଖାଦ୍ୟର ପ୍ରସାର ଦିଗରେ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ନିଷ୍ଠାପର ଓ ସମ୍ମିଳିତ ଉଦ୍ୟମ ପାଇଁ ଆହ୍ୱାନ ଜଣାଉଛି। #PakhalaDibasa pic.twitter.com/JpsF9dpdpQ

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) March 20, 2023