‘Rosogolla Day’ Will Soon Be a Thing in West Bengal

West Bengal to observe Rosogolla Day on 14 November.

The Bengalis have finally reclaimed the rosogolla with the sweetmeat’s new GI status. Image used for representational purposes.

(Photo: Saumya Pankaj / The Quint)

The West Bengal government has decided to observe ‘Rosogolla Day’ on November 14, to commemorate the first anniversary of the state’s famous sweet getting Geographical Indication tag as ‘Bengal’s Rosogolla’.

Different varieties of rosogollas will be showcased in the stalls of the ‘Mishti Hub'. Mishti Hub is set up in Kolkata’s Eco Park in New Town.

We are celebrating the first anniversary of Bengal’s Rosogolla getting the GI tag at the ‘Mishti hub’ in association with the sweetmeatmaker associations

Additional Chief Secretary to PTI

The ‘Mishti hub’, opened on July 5 this year, is a one of a kind place where renowned sweet makers, including some of the traditional ones, share roof.

On November 14 last year, West Bengal had received the GI tag for Bengal’s Rosogolla. The GI tag is a sign that identifies a product as originating from a particular place.

The Origin Story

The battle between Odisha and West Bengal on the origins of the Rosogulla visibly intensified in 2015 when Odisha’s science and technology minister Pradip Kumar Panigrahi told the media that various committees set up to trace the origin of this sweet pointed to allegedly conclusive evidence that rasgulla has existed in the state for about 600 years.

Also Read: Origin of Rasogolla a Sticky Debate Between Bengal & Odisha

The West Bengal government claimed rosogolla was invented by Nabin Chandra Das, a famous sweetmeat-maker, in 1868.

Odisha said extensive research done by them proved that ‘rasagolla’ originated in Puri. It was first incorporated as ‘kheer mohana’, and later evolved into ‘pahala rasagolla’.

We will scrutinise the GI order. I shall hold a meeting with the ministers of Odisha government as well as with my party leaders to decide the future course of action. The door of the courts is always open.

Maheswar Mohanty, Biju Janta Dal Legislator 

This debate over the rosogolla is not merely about Oria and Bengali sentiments. It can also mean an increase in business for vendors in both Odisha and West Bengal.

I thank CM Mamata Banerjee for her proactive role. She asked her officers to get in touch with us in 2015 when Odisha tried to get the GI registration in their favour. The government took all related documents and information from us to authenticate the claim that Nabin Chandra Das was indeed the inventor of rosogolla. 

Dhiman Das, Director, KC Das

The expense for this prolonged battle between Odisha and West Bengal has been borne by the state governments, said Das.