Traditional Odia dishes to Taste if you are Attending the Rath Yatra

by Ismail Hodge
Traditional Odia dishes to Taste if you are Attending the Rath Yatra

The zeal of Rath Yatra and tens of millions of Yatris fill the ambiance of Puri with sheer vibrancy. Folks from throughout India journey right here to hunt the blessings of the Lord Jagannath and celebrate the divine deity. Also referred to as Gundicha Yatra, Automotive Pageant, Dasavatara, Navadina Yatra or the Chariot Pageant, it celebrates Lord Jagannath (Lord Krishna), his elder brother Lord Balabhadra and his sister Goddess Subhadra. The competition that goes on for 9 days has varied rituals and ceremonies and one among them entails providing and savouring genuine Odia dishes. Let’s discover which dishes type an integral a part of the choices throughout Rath Yatra, as these cuisines are favourites of each Lord Jagannath and the individuals.

Poda Pitha

It is a private favorite dish of the Lord and the individuals of Puri like it equally. Poda pitha is a candy dish made from fermented rice, black gram, grated coconut and jaggery. “poda” in Odia means “burnt,” and pitha” means a category of desserts made from fermented, semi-fermented or un-fermented batters of rice, urad dal or semolina, or a mix of those grains and lentils. Within the context of poda pitha, poda implies the charred caramelisation of the underside of the cake. Jagannath Yatra is incomplete with out this dish being provided to the Lord.

Legend has it that Lord Jagannath, in his earlier incarnation as Shri Ram, promised Rani Kaikeyi, his stepmother, that he would come to her and savour poda pitha. This promise was made to console Kaikeyi, who believed she had put Sita, Ram, and Laxman in hassle by sending them to the forest for 14 years when her personal son Bharat confronted her. Thus, this candy dish symbolizes Kaikeyi’s maternal affection for Shri Ram and the Mausi Maa temple in Puri is regarded as her dwelling.

The place to attempt: Bhuba Dukan – Rina Mandal Rd, Puri, Odisha 

Unique Nrusingha Sweets – Padmini Lodge, Jagannath Temple Rd, close to Batalokanath Temple, Bali Sahi, Puri, Odisha.

Dalma 

dalma
Picture Courtesy: Ruchi Foodline

Dalma is a standard Odia dal (Indian curry) that’s ready within the Jagannath temple. Conventional dalma is primarily made from lentils and greens. In line with the Pandas (Pandits) of the Puri temple, this dish is a present from the Savaras tribe of Odisha. They had been the primary worshippers of Lord Jagannath as Neela Mahadeb and used to reap greens like brinjal, pumpkin, arbi (taro roots), ladyfinger(bhindi) and so forth. After harvesting, they used to combine these greens with a dal (principally chana dal) to make dalma and serve it with some steamed rice, saag (spinach dish) and ghee to the Gods as an providing. 

There may be one other legend although, that claims that this dish was handed on by Bheema (one of many Pandav brothers from the Hindu epic Mahabharata). When Bheema was in a hideout within the kingdom of Viraat for 13 years, he was ravenous. He went to a royal kitchen to ask for some meals however was caught by the royal head cook dinner who punished him to make a dish with out oil and little spices. He remembered his spouse Draupadi making Lord Krishna’s favorite dish which concerned greens, some water, only a few spices and ghee. He made the dish and the royals appreciated it. It’s stated that since then it has been provided to Lord Jagannath within the temple.  

The place to attempt: Bhuba Dukan – Rina Mandal Rd, Puri, Odisha

Dalma Restaurant – VIP Rd, close to Puri Hearth Station, Puri, Odisha

Khechedi 

khichedi
Priyas Kitchen

This dish is an Odia model of Khichdi which is fashionable in lots of elements of India. It’s made with rice, lentils, coconut, sugar, and cinnamon and served alongside curd and papad. It’s stated that that is additionally one among Lord Jagannath’s favourites.  

The place to attempt: The most effective place to do this dish is within the Jagannath Temple however you’re going to get it at many native eating places. 

Mahura 

Mahura
Picture Courtesy: Odisha Tour

Mahura or vegetable curry is part of the Maha Prasad served to Lord Jagannath in Jagannath temple. This is among the dishes from the Chappan (56) Bhog served there. It’s made with assorted greens, ghee, coconut and minimal spices and has no onion, ginger, garlic or tomatoes in its conventional preparation. It’s served with Kanika (candy rice) or Ghia Anna (ghee rice).

The place to attempt: On the temple 

Amalu or Malpua 

Amalu Malpua
Picture Courtesy: Axiz Financial institution 

Amalu is a selected kind of Malpua ready on the Puri Jagannath temple. That is additionally part of the Chappan (56) Bhog on the temple served to Lord Jagannath. This candy is ready in three completely different varieties which might be served within the Bhog; Sana Amalu, Bada Amalu and Hatapoda Amalu. Whereas Sana and Bada Amalu are small in dimension and subsequently 84 of them are ready for the Bhog. The Hatapoda Amalu is thick and large. Solely two items of the candy are ready particularly for the deity. It’s made utilizing wheat flour, milk, sugar and most significantly bananas and coconuts which aren’t part of the preparation of the common malpuas that we get throughout India. 

The place to attempt: The most effective place to do this dish is within the Jagannath Temple however you will get it at:

Jay Jagannath Mistanna Bhandar – Temple Rd, in entrance of Patra Lane, Dolamandap Sahi, Puri, Odisha

Chhena Poda

chhena poda
Picture Courtesy: Culinary Wonderland

Chhena poda which interprets to roasted cheese in English originated within the small village of Dasapalla in Odisha. One night time, the proprietor of a confectionery, Sudarshan Sahu considered including sugar and seasonings to leftover cottage cheese and left it on the range that was nonetheless heat. The subsequent day, he was pleasantly stunned to seek out out what a delicious dessert he had created. This was the Chhena Poda which is known in your entire Odisha and likewise provided as a bhog and savoured by the devotees in the course of the Rath Yatra. 

The place to attempt: Behera Sweets – Close to, Station Highway, Ram Mandir Rd, Gajapati Nagar, Puri, Odisha

Rama Chenapoda – Bhanumati Rd, Dolamandap Sahi, Puri, Odisha

Rasabali 

rasabali
Picture Courtesy: Annapurna

This candy is related to Lord Jagannath however in an oblique means. It is a conventional Odia candy dish and part of Chhapan Bhog provided to Shri Baladevajew, elder brother of Lord Jagannath. It is a skinny doughnut formed recent chena or paneer patty. That is deep fried in oil and later soaked in thickened milk to get the specified tenderness. 

In line with researchers Niranjan Mekap and Anita Sabat, ‘Rasabali’ as a sweetmeat has been in use since medieval occasions in the course of the erstwhile King Anangabhima Deva’s reign. Throughout his rule, 32 styles of ‘Rasabali’ had been getting used as an providing on the Sri Baladevjew Temple in Kendrapara and it nonetheless continues. Varied couplets, mythological scriptures like ‘Dandi Ramayan’ and household chronology of the Ganga dynasty ‘Ganga Banshanucharita’ have many pages on ‘Rasabali’ because it has been acknowledged that the origin of ‘Rasabali’ is in Kendrapara district of Odisha.

The place to attempt: Senapati Sweets – Dolamandap Sahi, Puri, Odisha 

Khaja 

khaja
Picture Courtesy: Exotikal Hub

One other delicacy that’s well-known in Puri and is consumed throughout Rath Yatra is Khaja. To make Khaja, refined wheat flour is combined with sugar and oil to type a layered dough. The dough is then filled with dry fruits and calmly fried in oil till crisp. Though it’s not native to the state, it is among the most well-known sweets in Odisha. 

The place to attempt: Previous Ganguram Sweets – Door No 70, close to Khajapati, Bali Sahi, Puri, Odisha

Style & Greatest –  Barahi Lane, close to Ramachandra Bhawan, Bali Sahi, Puri, Odisha

You may also like