“There is no question of Odisha winning the rosogolla race. It’s a battle and we have prepared our case giving infallible arguments,” said Rabiranjan Chatterjee, state minister for science and technology.
When it comes to Rosogolla, West Bengal can go any length to defend its indignity. So, when the neighbour state Odisha is building up its case to establish the ownership of rosogolla for an eventual GI (geographical indication) tag, Bengal cannot rest.
Bengal has contacted the GI wing of the ministry of commerce and industry with a preliminary argument and has promised to send the complete dossier on its claim to Rosogolla before the end of the month.
A GI tag is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin. India, as a member of WTO, enacted the GI Act in 1999. The Act came into effect in September, 2003.
The rosogolla debate started recently when Odisha claimed that the sweetmeat was invented there as the special Prasad for Lord Shri.Jagannath and Mahalaxmi when he returns to the temple after the weeklong the Rathyatra. Though Odisha has been gathering public opinion in favour of its argument, it is yet to apply for GI tag.
The Bengal government is building up its case primarily on the fact that the rosogolla is made of chhana or curdled milk, which is distinctly different from khir which is condensed milk. A detailed document has been prepared on how the Dutch had brought the technique of curdling milk by using lactic acid and how Bengal picked it up from them.
The second argument is that, the use of chana in making sweets is a tradition that is prevalent only in Bengal.
The third argument is that, the very word rosogolla was coined in Bengal and not Odisha and hence the latter cannot have any ownership on the name.
Scientists have prepared the document, which is likely to be submitted to the GI office in Delhi on August 24. They have included Mr.Dhiman Das, chief of KC Das and a successor of Mr.Nabin Chandra Das, who is believed to be the inventor of the rosogolla in 1868, in the team to argue the case.
“We have worked hard on the history of the accidental invention of the rosogolla, its unique texture and taste ,” said Mahua Hom Chowdhury, the scientist co-ordinating the project.
Also Read: https://amfnews.com/odisha-bengal-should-forget-geographical-appropriation-and-spread-cheer-over-rasgullas/
Prasanta Patnaik