TNI Bureau: In a bid to promote Odia culture and to welcome summer season with Odisha’s traditional food, 20 March is being celebrated as Pakhala Dibasa (Universal Pakhala Day) by Odias worldwide to glorify the delicacy.
There are so many variants of the dish. Pakhala can be, Sajja Pakhala, Basi Pakhala, Dahi Pakhala, Garama Pakhala, Jeera Pakhala and Basi Pakhala.
Pakhala is generally served with badi churra (mashed badi), saga bhaja (spinach fry), kakharu phula baja (pumpkin flower fry), kalara bhaja (bitter gourd fry) and Fried fish (macha bhaja). The liquid part is known as toraṇi. It is also prepared with rice, curd, cucumber, cumin seeds, fried onions and mint leaves.
The trinity (Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra) is offered Dahi Pakhala (the water rice prepared with curd) during scorching summer.
Besides Odisha, Pakhaḷa is also popular in States of West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu.
The enthusiasm is also seen among people on social media to mark the International Pakhala Dibasa.
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Odisha’s staple food will start appearing on the menu both at home and in luxury hotels, roadside dhabas and restaurants.
Hotels and restaurants in Odisha and outside Odisha have now included it in their menu and to attract global audience.
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