March 20 is being observed as Pakhala Dibas to promote the cuisine in the modern era. Nothing beats a bowl full of Pakhala and a variety of accompaniments! It is Pakhala Dibasa again, the initiative was started in 2015 by Odias to celebrate their traditional food worldwide. Pakhala (rice water) is the Odia term for an Indian dish consisting of cooked rice that is lightly fermented in water.
In order to make the traditional Odia dish more delicious curd, cucumber, cumin seeds, fried onions and curry leaves are also added to the fermented rice.
Mostly, people prefer to eat it with side dishes such as fried potato (aloo bhaja), fried brinjal (baigana bhaja), fried and crushed badi (badi churaa), sauted greens (saga bhajaa), fish fry (maaccha bhaja) or fried pumpkin flowers (kakharu phula bhaja). There are many classifications of this dish such as Jeera Pakhala, Dahi Pakhala, Garama Pakhala and Basi Pakhala.
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’.
CM Naveen Patnaik extended his best wishes to all on Pakahala Dibasa
”Pakhaal is one of the unique dishes of Oriya cuisine. It is unique in the diversity of our food. Conveying my best wishes to all and calling for everyone’s determination and concerted efforts towards the spread of orthodox food.”
Many Odias and lovers of Pakhala took to social media to express their love for this dish. Check the posts here:
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
Greetings on #PakhalaDibasa. A day dedicated to the most liked Odia delicacy, Pakhala is indeed a great feeling. Here is my installation SandArt Puri beach in Odisha. pic.twitter.com/LIh8NTeAgc
— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) March 20, 2023
Wish you a Happy Pakhala Divas 2023#PakhalaDivas#PakhalaDibas#Pakhala pic.twitter.com/cSdrOnU0n2
— Incredible odisha (@incredible_od) March 20, 2023
