- Chennai based Geographical Indication Registry has officially confirmed that Rasagola has also its origin in Odisha. The Odisha Small Industries Corporation Ltd that has been awarded GI Tag for its “Odisha Rasagola’. However, it has been tagged with ‘Odisha’, which distinguishes it to ‘Banglar Rasgola’. In November 2017 West Bengal received the GI Tag for its ‘Banglar Rasgola’.
- ‘Odisha Rasagola’ is registered under Section 16(I) or of authorized Section 17(3)(c) of Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act 1999. The GI number 612 has been registered in favour of the Odisha Small Industries Corporation Limited (OSIC Limited)
- According to the application submitted to the Registrar of GI, ‘Odisha Rasagola’ is a sweet from the state of Odisha made of chhena (cottage cheese) cooked in sugar syrup, which is very soft to feel, is juicy and non- chewy in consistency and can be swallowed without teeth pressure.
- Colour development of the ‘Odisha Rasagola’ is very specific, where without addition of external colour, various intensely-coloured rasagolas are prepared using the principle of caramelisation of sugar with specific methods of preparation, the application said.
- As per the application, the area of production of Odisha Rasagola has been shown all 30 districts.
References of Rasagola
- It is mentioned in Bhitarachha Sebara Niyama and published in Record of Rights, Part‐III, The Orissa Gazette, Extra‐ordinary, Law Department Notification Dated 12 October, 1955.
- The reference of rasagola is found in the late 15th-century Odia Ramayana written by Balaram Das. Balaram Das’s Ramayana is known as Dandi Ramayana or Jagamohana Ramayana as it was composed and sung at the Jagamohana of the Puri Temple.
- In its ‘Ajodhya Kanda’, another religious script, one comes across elaborate descriptions of chhena and chhena‐based products including Rasagola.
- Odia writer Fakir Mohan Senapati in his writing Utkal Bhramanam published by Utkal Deepika on August 27, 1892 mentioned about the plentiful use of rasagola in Odisha during those days.
- On December 14, 1893, a poem titled, ‘Bali Jatra’ was published in the weekly “Indradhanu” written by poet Damodar Pattanayak. The poem was an eye‐witness of Cuttack’s famous, historic fair, Bali Jatra (Journey to Bali Island of Indonesia) and mentioned that sweets shops were looking attractive in presence of Rasagola and other sweets.
West Bengal Vs Odisha
- Both Odisha and West Bengal have been contesting the origin of the rasagola.
- West Bengal claims that the Rasgulla was invented in the 19th century by Nobin Chandra Das at his Bagbazar residence in Kolkata.
- Historical records submitted say the ‘Odisha Rasagola’ is associated with world famous Puri Jagannath Temple. Odisha believes that the tradition of Niladri Bije where Rasgulla is offered started in the 12th century.
