Roving Reporter
Dola Purnima (March 1, 2018), brought in National recognition of ancientness of Orissa’s Rasagola, as the Palanquin Carried Cover, featuring this unique cuisine was released by the Chief Postmaster General (CPMG) Orissa, Dr. Santosh Ku Kamila and Chhatisa Nijog Nayak Shri Janardana Patjoshi Mohapatra at Puri Head Post Office. The Cover notes:
‘Rasagola’, a cheese-based Odisha sweetmeat, finds mention in the Odia ‘Ramayana’ by Balaram Das (1472-1550 AD). Rasagola is offered by Lord Jagannath to appease Goddess Laxmi on Niladri Bije, the last day of annual Rath Yatra at Puri. As the Lord visits Gundicha Temple with His siblings during the Car Festival, His wife is aggrieved for being left behind. ‘Swatwalipi’, the Record of Rights governing all rituals of Shree Jagannath temple, specifically mentions this. The Panjika of ‘Chadhaukaran’ servitor also mentions Rasagola as a special offering by the ‘Bhitarachhu Mohapatra’ servitor.
Nowhere in India Rasagola has a history more ancient to this.
Besides the Chief Postmaster General (CPMG) Odisha, Dr. Santosh Ku Kamila, who released it, Superintendent of Post Puri, Sanjay Mohapatra; Postmaster Puri HO, Debaraj Sethi were present at the august event. Culture-scholar Dr. Asit Mohanty, whose research has shown how Orissa is the birthplace of Rasagola, was on the dias along with Mahendra Mishra and Rama Ballabh Mohapatra, President and Secretary respectively of Srikhetra Saangi, the initiative of which organisation has fetched this recognition. Dr.Amita Sabat, another leading light in the campaign for GI tagging of Rasagola to Orissa was also present on the occasion.
The meeting was arranged by senior philatelist, Bijay Ku Biswal and the cover & cachet designing was done by Kashinath Sahoo, from Eastern India Philatelic Association.
Amongst others who witnessed the event were Singer Mitali Chinnara; Filmmaker Susanta Mishra; and Aama Odisha Secretary, Swaraj Mishra.
VicePresident of Srikhetra Saangi, Dharmaprasad Mishra, gave the vote of thanks.