Rasgulla Day - Rasagola Dibasa Celebration #RasagolaA2Z

Day is called Dibasa in Odia. 

Rasagola Dibasa or Rasgulla Day means a day to celebrate Rasagola.

Did you know about Rasgulla Day?

The first celebration of a day for Rasgulla was done in Odisha, India.

No matter by what spelling it is referred to- Rasgulla Divas, Rasagola Diwas etc, the fact remains that Odisha not only invented the sweet, but it also has been celebrating a day for Rasgulla.

No one really knows how old is the celebration of "Niladri Bije", the last day of the Ratha Jatra, when Rasagola is traditionally offered to Maa Lakshmi and Shree Jagannatha at the Shree Jagannatha Temple, Puri. If you ask an average Odia about "Rasagola Day", they will tell you about Niladri Bije.

It is said- "Ratha Jatra jebethu, Rasagola sebethu." - Rasagola is as old as the Ratha Jatra.

Niladri Bije is celebrated each year on-ground and as a continuing tradition from many centuries in the Shree Jagannatha Temple, Puri, and in many other religious places like mathas and temples.

There was a need to propose and initiate celebration of Rasagola Dibasa on social media & online & also to join in the offline Niladri Bije celebrations to change wrong perceptions-

Myth 1. Rasgulla was invented in Bengal. 

Reality- Odisha is the birthplace of Rasgulla

Myth 2. All Chhena sweets are associated only with Bengal. 

Reality - Odisha has been the pioneer of Chhena sweets and other sweets.

Myth 3. Portuguese taught Indians how to prepare Cottage-Cheese i.e. Chhena. 

Reality of Cottage-Cheese or Chhena

Portuguese “taught” Bengal how to make chhana!?
Note- #Chhena has existed in #Odisha & India 🇮🇳 long before Portuguese arrived. #OdishaRasagola has earned the #GITag. #LetsTalkIP #GI
Odisha has many Chhena sweets including #ChhenaJhilli & #Chhenapoda. https://t.co/pEoKdDOgi1 pic.twitter.com/l1xKA4NrsR

— Dr. Anita Sabat (@anitaexplorer) October 7, 2019

(Note- Baseless beliefs about Chhena and Rasagola invention still exist.)

We (Odisha) celebrated the maiden Rasagola Dibasa on social media on July 30, 2015.

Note- The original Rasgulla Day is being celebrated on Niladri Bije from centuries in the Shree Jagannatha Temple, Puri, Odisha.

The date had been chosen as it was the Niladri Bije of the Nabakalebara Ratha Jatra.

For more details, do read these posts-

Rasagola Day (published on 8 July, 2015)

Rasagola Dibasa (published on 13 July, 2015)

Awareness had been created via blogs and social media posts informing about the said celebration- Sweet Yatra as many were unaware about Niladri Bije.

Posters had been designed for this campaign that garnered support & wholehearted participation.

Informative creatives and content was mobilized, designed, published in papers and blogs, and shared by many important Twitter handles like the Nabakalebara Official handle, BBSR Buzz,  and by so many individual Rasagola lovers.

Padma Shri Sudarsan Pattnaik created a "Rasagola Dibasa" sand-art in Puri.

Leading Odia media, the Sambad group shared information in the leading newspaper, Sambad, and in their FM radio channel, Radio Choklate.

Many Odias united together to collectively tweet and share social media posts with the pre-decided hashtag- #RasagolaDibasa

#RasagolaDibasa trended on Twitter on Niladri Bije i.e. on July 30, 2015.

Many people discovered the link of Rasagola with Odisha.

Many people learned about the existence and celebration of this ancient tradition where Rasagola plays a sweet role in ending the the domestic fight between the divine couple on Niladri Bije- the last day of the Ratha Jatra.

There were newspapers and media publications and TV discussions about the Rasgulla origin "debate" not only on that day, but for many months following our celebration!

Rasagola Dibasa did have an impact. 

Rasagola Dibasa was responsible for both the state governments to set up committees for research. (Later, it was also responsible for the GI applications of both governments.)

Till 2015, very few knew the history of Rasagola.

People were not aware that Odisha's Dandi Ramayana i.e. Odia Ramayana, belonging to 15th Century, has reference of the word Rasagola. 

(Odia language has the second highest number of manuscripts in the world and this writer is confident that there may be mention of the word Rasagola in many ancient records that we are yet to discover.)

A lot of information and references were available owing to Rasagola Dibasa.

Many eminent historians and researchers wrote about it. They even changed their views about chhena and Rasgulla origin after conducting fresh research following the "controversy".

It was shown in ‘Raja, Rasoi Aur Anya Kahaniyaan’- episode of Epic Channel that said that all chhena sweets have their origin and linkage with the Shree Jagannatha Temple, Puri.

Rasagola Dibasa aimed to address the misinformation. We wanted (and still want) Odisha to earn credit for Rasagola as the birthplace of Rasagola and to establish the truth that- Rasagola is an Odia sweet.

Actually, 'Jo Dikhta Hai, Wo Bikta Hai' - What is seen, sells. 

We keep our diamond hidden in the cupboard and then expect the world to appreciate its beauty and to value it? 

Rasagola is our diamond that we want the world to know.

      Rasagola Dibasa is our way to celebrate and show.

But, who started the Rasagola Dibasa celebration on social media and online?

Who was responsible for creating awareness and uniting everyone thereby sparking the Rasgulla debates, discussions, controversy, and the research information? 

Myths abound that the Odisha State Government sponsored the Rasagola Dibasa! 

One well-known writer and media personality has been saying that he wrote an article in a leading daily and, as it was so popular, the debate about Rasagola origin began, and thus, people joined in to celebrate Rasagola Dibasa! 

Another influential political personality said it was his idea to start this celebration! 

Some bloggers and social media users wrote in their posts that "someone" had an idea and started it and others joined. 

This was the maiden tweet on March 18, 2015, about the #RasagolaDibasa celebration-

@BBSRBuzz I feel we shud hv a #RasagolaDibasa too 2 let every1 know that Odisha deserves credit 4 d sweet. @nidhi_budha @i_srd @rocking_amsa

— Dr. Anita Sabat (@anitaexplorer) March 18, 2015

You can look for the hashtag #RasagolaDibasa or #RasagolaDay and the like to find out the date and time details when such Rasgulla Day posts were posted and the names of hundreds of contributors who made this a grand success.

I emphasize- the year when Rasgulla Day started on social media was- 2015 and Odisha started it. Centuries ago, Odisha had started the Niladri Bije - Rasagola Dibasa- which still continues to this day as a continuing tradition of Rath Yatra.

Origin details are needed as the neighbouring state that started celebration of "Rosogolla Dibas" in 2018, after getting inspired by Odisha's celebrations, claimed and is still claiming that it was the first to dedicate and to celebrate- Rasgulla Day! Plus, it is unfair that search results show the later entrant, and not Odisha that pioneered the celebrations!

Note- All this is happening right in front of our eyes in this information age.

For everyone's info, Odisha celebrated the first Rasgulla Day in the world at Puri Temple centuries ago that still continues. The social media and online celebrations of Odisha are as follows-

1. First Rasagola Dibasa on Niladri Bije, 2015

2. Second Rasagola Dibasa on Niladri Bije, 2016

3. Third Rasagola Dibasa on Niladri Bije, 2017

4. Fourth Rasagola Dibasa on Niladri Bije, 2018

5. Fifth Rasagola Dibasa on Niladri Bije, 2019

6. Sixth Rasagola Dibasa on Niladri Bije, 2020

How many times can you hear the following words in this #Tamil video? #Jagannath #Lakshmi #Rasagola #Rasgulla #NiladriBije #RathYatra #RasagolaDibasa
? #Translation #rituals #culture #heritage #OdishaGI @Culturedeptt @IPR_Odisha @odisha_tourism @CMO_Odisha @BBSRBuzz pic.twitter.com/gQ6v0S4cjP

— Dr. Anita Sabat (@anitaexplorer) July 22, 2020

Note- This year, Odisha will be celebrating the Seventh #RasagolaDibasa. Do join in this Niladri Bije (last day of Ratha Jatra) for the World Rasgulla Day!

Some find this Rasagola issue 'sickening', 'tiring' and 'boring'; while others feel this 'fight' is 'silly and inconsequential'. By discussing about the uncomfortable Rasagola GI topic, one risks to be viewed as a trouble-maker and considered as a serious threat to our national integration. Note- All this is just to ensure the triumph of truth- Satyameva Jayate.

This writer has been consistently and persistently writing and sharing about this topic from 2014 onwards as someone has to "do something" and "bell the cat", and settle this Rasgulla debate and put an end to this controversy once and for all. That was the reason why this writer had proposed and initiated the Rasagola Dibasa - Rasgulla Day celebration on social media in 2015. Thereafter, this writer had united stakeholders, created awareness, advocated, and facilitated the filing of the 'Odisha Rasagola' GI application. However, the misleading and biased articles and videos still continue. All mindless propaganda must stop. The truth about Rasagola's Odisha origin must be accepted by all.

I’m participating in the April #A2ZChallenge #BlogchatterA2Z

D For #Dibasa- Day or Dibasa or Dibas or Divas or Diwas or Divasa or Diwasa 

I am writing A-Z posts about Rasagola- 26 Rasagola posts this April.

This sincere attempt is to enrich cyberspace by sharing correct information about Rasagola.

Rasagola is a part of Odisha's traditional knowledge, continuing tradition, cultural heritage and identity.  

Only when the truth is shared, people can learn and be aware.
You can check out my other Rasagola posts here.
This is my fifth #A2Z Challenge, and my last four challenges have been about Odisha, India. 

My previous #AToZChallenge posts here.

Are you aware of Rasagola/Rasgulla? 

Did you know that Rasgullas originated in Odisha? 

Please do share any information about Rasgulla that you may have and which you feel must be documented and shared so that all are aware.