By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, November 15, 2017: The battle over origin of Rasogolla – a spongy, sugary, syrupy ball of milk between two neighbouring states of West Bengal and Orissa is hotting up with the Odisha government on Wednesday deciding to apply for the “geographical indications” (GI) tag for ‘Odishara Rasogolla’ soon.

The announcement came just a day after West Bengal secured GI tag for ‘Banglar Rasogolla’ from the union commerce and industry ministry.

According to the World Trade Organisation, a geographical indications tag credits a good or product as having originated from a certain region or place. It’s a mark of authenticity and adds credibility which could help monetise the sweet further.

“It has been decided to file an application for Odishara Rasogolla with the GI Registry. It is rooted in Jagannath culture,” said micro, small and medium enterprises department secretary L.N. Gupta.

Interestingly, it’s about who gets to claim rasgulla, a regional dumpling delicacy that has beguiled millions of Indians and a source of regional pride, as their own.

The two-and-a-half year battle has involved historians, centuries-old documents and specialised committees – all to find out which state can lay claim to this dessert.

Incidentally, the Odisha government had received flak from various quarters for not applying before the GI Registry even though a report substantiating the origin of the sweet has been prepared by historians and submitted before it.

Banglar Rasogolla has been registered with GI on the West Bengal government’s application. This only provides the GI Tag to the ‘Banglar Rasogolla’ specific to West Bengal.

“GI registration for Banglar Rasogolla in no way affects claim for GI tag for Odishar Rasogolla. The Bengal and Odisha variants are different in colour, texture, taste, juice content, and method of manufacturing,” said Gupta.

The Odishara Rasogolla is softer and light brown whereas Bangalar Rasogolla has white and cream colour. The syrup used in both the variants is also different.

GI Chennai Senior Examiner Prasant Kumar said Odisha can always apply for its Rasogolla with proper documents to substantiate its claims on the origin of Odia sweet.

“We have not received any application or documents from the Odisha government. It can always apply to claim the origin of the sweet in Odisha,” said Prasant Kumar.

There are historical mentions of Rasogolla’s links to traditions and practices associated with Lord Jagannath. Rasogolla has been traditionally offered as bhog to Goddess Lakshmi at the Jagannath temple in Puri as per ritual known as ‘Bachanika’ — part of the “Niladri Bije” observance, which marks the return of the deities to the temple after the Ratha Yatra Festival. This practice has existed for centuries.

The feud can be traced back to September 2015, when the Orissa government celebrated a festival called “Rasagalla Diwas,” which the state said referred to a mythical story in which the Hindu goddess Lakshmi was presented with a bowl of the dessert by her husband in an effort to appease her after he left her alone.

Ever since, the two states have been locked in an intense battle over who the true owner of the dessert is.

Last year, a committee, headed by cultural researcher Asit Mohanty, was formed in Orissa to settle the issue, which they supported with a 100-page historical report that was submitted to the department of science and technology.