Pakhala Dibasa: Odias across globe celebrate quintessential native delicacy
Odishabarta
Bhubaneswar,20/03/23:From the platter of Odisha’s culinary excellence, ‘Pakhala’ holds a special place in the hearts of every Odia. This humble combination of rice water and curd is a staple in almost every Odia household, particularly in summer.
The sacred place of Pakhala in Odia food habits can easily be ascertained from the fact that not only the mortals, but Pakhala has always been cherished in the Jagannath faith and is offered to the deities at Puri Srimandir daily.
In a bid to popularise this quintessential native delicacy globally, March 20 is celebrated as International Pakhala Day or ‘Pakhala Dibasa’ since 2015. Like every year, Odias all around the globe on Monday spent little time expressing their pride in enjoying and promoting the traditional Odia food item.
“When it comes to Pakhala, it always tops the favourite list. As summer is approaching, nothing is better than Pakhala,” said Lijalin Sahoo, a homemaker.
“The demand for Pakhala is never-ending. While some like having it with ‘álu chakata’, ‘badi chura’ and other side items, many relish the dish with fish and prawn,” said Sangita Patnaik, a hotel owner.
Meanwhile, eminent sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has created beautiful sand art on Puri beach to mark Pakhala Dibasa. Many Odias and lovers of Pakhala took to social media to express their love for this dish.
It is no coincidence that this day is celebrated on World Happiness Day and two days after World Sleep Day, because, for Odias across the globe Pakhala is synonymous with both ‘Happiness’ and ‘Sound Sleep’.
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