By Dr. Anita Sabat in Bhubaneswar, April 10, 2025: Chhenapoda is a popular chhena-based dessert of Odisha. A rich and smoked cheesecake, its name literally means- “Burnt Cottage-Cheese.”

Proposals about “Chhenapoda Dibasa” i.e. “Chhenapoda Day” or a day to celebrate Chhenapoda have been made by several enthusiasts from 2015 onwards when #RasagolaDibasa trended on Twitter (now X).

In 2022, discussions for “Chhenapoda Dibasa” celebration were started on Twitter by a group that included this writer. After the views of many, the celebration day was decided to be Chhenapoda creator’s birthday.

Many believe that the creator of Chhenapoda is Sudarshan Sahoo. He had passed away in the year 2016 and many news reports had published about his demise with the headline “Inventor of Chhenapoda passes away”, “Inventor of Odisha’s famed Chhenapoda passes away” etc. Many such articles have quoted Sudarshan Sahoo’s son who has solely credited his father with the invention, promotion and sales of Chhenapoda.

In 2023 and 2024, Nayagarh Vikas Manch celebrated “Chhenapoda Dibasa” in Jayadev Bhavan, Bhubaneswar. A song for Chhenapoda was also released by them in 2023. Meanwhile, many other creators have recorded and released songs dedicated to Chhenapoda over the past few years.

The celebration of Chhenapoda Dibasa is great. However, there are concerns-

• Why don’t we know the names of our creators/inventors and the place of invention and give them due credit?
• Who created the first Chhenapoda?

As per the article by writer Dr. Biswabharati published in “Sachitra Bijaya” magazine in 1996, Chhenapoda was invented by a father-son team – Bidyadhar Sahoo (father) and Sudarshan Sahoo (son) in Daspalla, a place in Nayagarh district, in 1945. Sudarshan Sahoo has himself stated this in interviews including in OTV’s “Tasty Tasty” programme conducted by food expert and journalist Sri Bhakta Tripathy. Sudarshan Sahoo had shared that he was the co-creator of the Chhenapoda and had assisted his father.

In 2022, April 11th was chosen as the date of the Chhenapoda Dibasa celebration, it being the birth anniversary of “Chhenapoda co-creator Sudarshan Sahoo.” His family did not know Bidyadhar Sahoo’s birth date, and could only share the “co-creator” Sudarshan Sahoo’s birthday- 11/4/1931. Celebration date for Chhenapoda Dibasa was thus chosen as 11 April. When the maiden Chhenapoda Dibasa was celebrated, the name of Bidyadhar Sahoo was either missing in most news and media-reports and articles, or just got a passing mention.

Sudarshan Sahoo has claimed to be the co-creator of this dessert. However, it may be noted that the shop belonged to Bidyadhar Sahoo, the father of Sudarshan Sahoo. In 1945, when his sweet-maker father, Bidyadhar Sahoo, created the first Chhenapoda, Sudarshan Sahoo was a young lad of 13 or 14 years old. In some of the news reports, the family-members of Sudarshan Sahoo have mentioned different years of invention of Chhenapoda viz. 1947 (not 1945 as mentioned in the Sachitra Bijaya article), and as per those, Sudarshan Sahoo was aged 16 or 17 years

To investigate the real creator of Chhenapoda, we went on ground visits and discussed with several local inhabitants of Daspalla. A neighbour of Sri Bidyadhar Sahoo, Sri Suresh Kumar Mishra, said that the Chhenapoda invention was done by Sudarshan Sahoo’s parents- Father- Bidyadhar Sahoo and Mother- Jemamani. Several friends and senior citizens of Daspalla also shared that- Sudarshan Sahoo’s sweet-maker father, “Bidyadhar Sahoo” was the real creator along with his wife (and mother of Sudarshan Sahoo) Jemamani Maa, and both should get their deserving credit.

Also, Sudarshan Sahoo’s elder brother and Sri Bidyadhar Sahoo’s eldest son, Sri Goura Chandra Sahoo, is mentioned as the creator of Chhenapoda in a book by Prof Girish Mishra.

Author Sri Prabir Kumar Pattanaik also mentions that when he was young and often frequented the Chhenapoda shop, seeing Sri Goura Chandra Sahoo there, even he was under the impression that Sri Goura was the creator of Chhenapoda.

In his book, retired IAS officer and the ex-collector of Nayagarh district, Sri Karunakar Patnaik, states- “Daspalla is the originator of the famous sweet “Chhena Podapitha” prepared and established by one Bidyadhar Sahu of Daspalla followed and propagated by his son Sudarshan Sahu at Nayagarh.” (English- “Nayagarh District – From Feudatory to Freedom”, Page- 252)

“Ullekhajogya je Daspallare prathame Odishara prasiddha chhena podapitha Bidyadhar Sahoonka dwara prastuta ebang Sudarshan Sahoonka dwara prasar o prachar karajaithila. (Odia- “Nayagarh Zilla – Rajatantra ru Ganatantra”, Page- 267)

Many agree that Bidyadhar Sahoo was the creator of Chhenapoda and Sudarshan Sahoo was the promoter. The former prepared it at Daspalla. The latter took his father’s creation and sold it at Nayagarh town. But, as with the case of Rasagola, those who sell and project the creation as their own, are considered as the creators/owners. “Jo bikta hai, wo dikhta hai”- what is seen, sells. The seller is known more than the creator.

The Geographical Indication (GI) Application for “Nayagarh Chhenapoda” was filed on 30/3/2023 by the ORMAS (DSMS) Nayagarh on behalf of Krishna Producer Group, and facilitated by the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of Odisha.

The GI Registry has uploaded the Chhenapoda application files on their website.

Meanwhile, many articles and reports have been published with misinformation and misrepresentation regarding Chhenapoda and “founder/inventor Sudarshan Sahoo” as his birthday was chosen as the Chhenapoda Dibasa. Those have been referred and submitted along with the GI application for Nayagarh Chhenapoda. Consequently, the names of Sudarshan Sahoo’s father- Bidyadhar Sahoo and place- Daspalla are missing in the GI documents. This way history is distorted, and the real creator and the place are not getting their due recognition.

The geographical area and place of origin- Daspalla, and the name of Sudarshan Sahoo’s father and mother, the Chhenapoda creators- Bidyadhar Sahoo and Jemamani, are missing in news reports and the GI documents. Chhenapoda’s creators & place of creation deserve inclusion and must earn due recognition.

The exclusion of Bidyadhar Sahoo is because the news reports about his son Sudarshan Sahoo’s death mention the latter as “the creator of Chhenapoda”. There is a lot of misinformation online about Chhenapoda, and those have been submitted as part of the GI application.

For example:
1.References to Shreemandira- Shree Jagannatha Temple. Many articles incorrectly mention Chhenapoda as “Lord Jagannath’s favourite sweet.”
Note- Chhenapoda is NOT offered as Bhoga to Shree Jagannatha.

2.Podapitha, prepared by a special process, is associated with the Shreemandira tradition and offered to Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannatha on Bahuda Jatra (i.e. return journey celebration). As per Dr. Biswanath Mishra, the Podapitha offered as bhoga on Bahuda Jatra is not burnt, rather first steamed and then fried in ghee. According to Sri Biswanath Samantara, the Sabhapati of Badu Suara Nijog, Shree Jagannatha Temple, Shree Jagannatha is offered three types of Podapitha, prepared following special age-old recipes and tradition: i. Badapitha – ବଡପିଠା ii. Hatapoda Pitha – ହାତପୋଡ ପିଠା & iii. Podapitha – ପୋଡ଼ପିଠା. The first two Bhoga are offered daily to Shree Jagannatha.

3.Many get confused with Podapitha & Chhenapoda and use wrong images & description on social media, though both are distinct products. Consequently, websites have wrong information.

4.Chhenapoda is a special dish that resulted from an experiment to use up the excess/leftover Chhena. But, many are sharing it as an “accident” or “accidental discovery.”

5.Many are misspelling and mispronouncing Chhenapoda in Odia, English, and Hindi. Should there be a space between “Chhena” and “Poda” or should Chhenapoda be one word?
Note- Chhenapoda is ONE word – combining Chhena & Poda together.

Presently, different types of spellings are being used like – Chenna, Chena, Chana, & Pod, Pora, Podo etc with Chhenapoda being- represented as- Chena Poda, Chana Pora, Chenna Pod, Chena Podo etc.

In his appreciation tweet expressing his love for Chhenapoda, actor Ayushmann Khurana used the spelling- “Chena Poda” as he tweeted: “The dark side of chena poda successfully dilutes the dark side of mine.”
There should be no gap/space between the words- Chhena/ ଛେନା/ छेना & Poda/ ପୋଡ଼/ पोड. Spellings should be uniform for proper branding-

• Odia- ଛେନାପୋଡ଼
• Hindi- छेनापोड
• English- Chhenapoda

“Chhenapoda” is a name and brand that is linked to the Asmita of our land. There is a need to spell/mention/pronounce uniformly & correctly. After this writer’s advocacy, “Chhenapoda” spelling has been used for the GI registration for “Nayagarh Chhenapoda.”

6.As many are publishing & sharing wrong information about Chhenapoda, lies such as its invention in Pahala or in Shreemandira or that it was an accident get established. Personalities including Chef Ranveer Brar have shared such incorrect information in their social media posts.

7.Till now many wrongly credit the Portuguese with Chhena and Chhena dishes, claiming that these were not prepared before the arrival of Portuguese in India! It may be noted that many Chhena dishes are a part of the Shreemandira bhoga.

How can a “Geographical Indication” (GI) application be submitted without paying attention to the place of origin and place of operation and selling?

Why are GI applicants blindly downloading from the internet and not doing proper research and documentation?

Where is the credibility?

Once GI is granted, the information provided will be accepted as correct representation and will be used as references.

Chhenapoda Dibasa must be celebrated on a day linked to the father- the creator- Bidyadhar Sahoo. As Bidyadhar Sahoo’s date of birth is unknown, his death anniversary- December 31st- has been chosen by his family members and the residents of Daspalla as Chhenapoda Dibasa. They have been celebrating Chhenapoda Dibasa in Daspalla from December 31, 2022 onwards, and have requested all to share the correct information.

Chhenapoda’s creator was Sri Bidyadhar Sahoo, and the place of creation was Daspalla in the Nayagarh district of Odisha. Last year, to create awareness about Chhenapoda and to ensure the right representation, a get-together was organized in Bhubaneswar on December 30th by the “Chhenapoda Srasta Bidyadhar Sahoo Smruti Surakhya Mancha” in association with Panini Educational & Cultural Trust, Foodies of Bhubaneswar, FoodFindo, and Odita Trust. The meeting was held at the Kedarnath Gabesana Pratisthan Library Hall in Old Town.

Many Chhenapoda lovers, historians, authors, food bloggers and experts attended and shared facts & experiences about Chhenapoda. Senior members shared about their childhood days and links with Chhenapoda. Daspalla residents including family-members and neighbours of Bidyadhar Sahoo also attended. They had got Chhenapoda from Daspalla from the same shop of Bidyadhar Sahoo that is now being run by his great-grandsons. There was Chhenapoda cutting ceremony. Chief Guest was retired IAS and writer Karunakar Patnaik.

Sri Patnaik has published a book about Nayagarh’s history in which he has mentioned Bidyadhar Sahoo’s name as the creator of Chhenapoda. Other potential GIs of Nayagarh district were also discussed. Bidyadhar Sahoo Memorial Charitable Trust has been trying to establish the truth and rightfully share its voice. We need to be proud of and honour our creators and places of creation.

In Daspalla, there should be sign-boards with text like- “Birthplace of Chhenapoda”, “The land where Chhenapoda was first created” and names of some shops must also be shared online including a mention of Chhenapoda in the Daspalla section on the Nayagarh, Govt of Odisha, website.

Chhenapoda must be chosen instead of or in addition to cake for celebrations of events like birthdays, anniversaries, New Year celebration, parties etc. All must be vocal for local and vocal for GI and feel responsible and accountable for heritage and culture.