Bhubaneswar/Kolkata: While Odisha has been making frantic official efforts to obtain Geographical Indication (GI) tag for rosogolla on the basis of historical evidence, its counterpart West Bengal which has already obtained a GI tag for ‘Banglar rosogola’ has released a postal stamp and a special cover on the syrupy dessert rasogolla Friday to mark the 150th year of the sweet’s invention.
The stamp was launched at the inaugural function of ‘Baghbazar-O-Rasogolla Utsab’, a festival to celebrate the renowned sweet in Kolkata.
While the origin of the sweet in Odisha dates back to the 16th century and has mention in the temple literature and Niladri Bije traditions, the Baghbazar in the northern part of Kolkata is claimed to be the residence of rosogolla maker Nobin Chandra Das who had lived and worked. He is credited with inventing the sweet in 1868.
Bengal had won the Geographical Indication (GI) for ‘Banglar Rosogolla’ November 14, 2017 after a 26-month legal tussle with neighbouring Odisha.
Kolkota Mayor and Minister for Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Firhad Hakim said at the programme, “We had heard that there was another claimant (Odisha) as the inventor of sponge rasogolla but knew that none could take away something which rightfully belongs to Bengal.”
“Nobin Chandra Das, the creator of rosogolla was one of us and the sweet belongs to us,” he said adding the government will do everything to promote the sweet globally.
“The West Bengal government thanks the GI authorities once again for vindicating its stand,” he added.
Trinamool Congress MP of Kolkata North, Sudip Bandyopadhyay said the people are happy that Bengal had won the “battle” for rosogolla and the TMC government will always work to protect the cultural identity of the state.
“If Gujarat and Maharashtra are called the economic capitals of the country, Bengal can very well be described as the cultural capital,” he claimed.
Great-great-grandson of the “inventor” of rosogolla and the owner of a Bengali sweets chain, Dhiman Das said, “I am very happy that the 150th year of the great invention is being celebrated so elaborately.”
“The ‘utsav’ is an effort to honour the inventor and also to uphold the history of Bagbazar,” said Shashi Panja, the chief convenor of the organising committee.
Kolkata Post Master General J Charukeshi was present during the release of the postal stamp.
However, as per tradition, Lord Jagannath offers Lakshmi rosgolla during a ritual known as Bachanika, which is part of the “Niladri Bije” after the Rathyatra.
The Jagannath Temple scholar Laxmidhar Pujapanda and researcher Jagabandhu Padhi state that the tradition has existed since the 12th century, when the present-day temple structure was first built. Pujapanda states that the Niladri Bije tradition is mentioned in Niladri Mahodaya, which is dated to the 18th century by Sarat Chandra Mahapatra. According to Mahapatra, several temple scriptures, which are over 300 years old, provide evidence of rosgulla offering ritual in Puri.
PTI