TNI Bureau: Odias living across the globe are celebrating the ‘Pakhala Dibasa’ or ‘World Pakhala Dibasa.’
Pakhala, which is combination of rice water and curd, holds a special place in the hearts of every Odia.
People of Odisha enjoy the State dish particularly in summer. Pakhala is also offered to Lord Jagannath and his siblings at the Puri Srimandir.
With the aim to popularise the Pakhala, which is one of the unique dishes of Oriya cuisine, the International Pakhala Day or ‘Pakhala Dibasa’ on March 20 since 2012.
The traditional Odia dish is prepared with rice, curd, cucumber, cumin seeds, fried onions and mint leaves. It is popularly served with dry roasted vegetables—such as potato, brinjal, badi and saga bhaja or fried fish.
Meanwhile, eminent personalities of Odisha including Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan wished everyone on the occasion Pakhala Dibasa.
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
‘ପଖାଳ’ ଆମ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଜନଜୀବନ ଓ ଖାଦ୍ୟପେୟର ଏକ ଅବିଚ୍ଛେଦ୍ୟ ଅଙ୍ଗ । ଓଡ଼ିଆଙ୍କ ଖାଦ୍ୟ ପ୍ରତି ଥିବା ଭଲ ପାଇବା ଓ ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାର ପ୍ରତୀକ ।
‘ପଖାଳ ଦିବସ’ ଅବସରରେ ସମସ୍ତ ଓଡ଼ିଶାବାସୀଙ୍କୁ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ ।
#PakhalaDiwas pic.twitter.com/w0SLXfe52g— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) March 20, 2023
Likewise, internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik created beautiful sand art on Puri beach to mark Pakhala Dibasa.
#ପଖାଳଦିବସ ର ଅନେକ ଅନେକ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା । ଖାଣ୍ଟି ଓଡିଆ ବ୍ଯଂଜନ ପଖାଳ ଆମର ମଧୁର ପରିଚୟ ହୋଇସାରିଛି । ସଜ ପଖାଳ, ଦହି ପଖାଳ ଉପରେ ପୁରୀ ବେଳାଭୂମିରେ ମୋ ବାଲୁକା କଳା । #PakhalaDibasa pic.twitter.com/P49odnXHFZ
— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) March 20, 2023
