With changing times and adoption of new food styles, Pakhala which was once an ever-present dish of Odia cuisine, has now been pushed back of the menu in most of the households.
But the true essence of this food in the culture of Odia lifestyle still remains strong thanks to the special occasion like Pakhala Dibasa, a day dedicated to celebrate the love for this dish.
Odias all around the globe on Sunday wasted little time to express their pride on enjoying and promoting the traditional Odia food item.
The sacred place of Pakhala in Odia food habits can easily be ascertained from the fact that not only the mortals, Pakhala has always been cherished in the Jagannath faith and is offered to the Lords at Puri Srimandir daily.
According to the servitors of the 12th-century shrine, unlike the usual perception, there are many varieties of Pakhala in Odia cuisine. ‘Dahi Pakhala’, one of the favourites of the Lord jagannath, is offered as ‘Badasingahra Bhoga’ to the Holy Trinity every day.
Sharing significance of ‘Dahi Pakhala Bhoga’, Jagannath culture expert Dr Sarat Mohanty says, “Lord Jagannth is offered Pakhala with ghee. Besides, ‘Tabha Pakhala’, ‘Malli Phulia Pakhala’, ‘Subasita Pakhala’ is offered to the Holy Trinity for a good sleep.”
“56 types of bhogs are offered to Lord Jagannath daily. But, pakhala is served to the Holy Trinity in the night,” Mohanty added.
It is interesting to see that how such a food item can work wonders not only on the health of a person during Summers, but how it can remarkably change the fate of a man as well.
On Pakhala Dibasa, the story of Isak Munda needs a special mention. A daily wage labourer from Sambalpur, Isak became a YouTube sensation in an overnight by displaying his love time with early morning Pakhala celebrations.
He too on Sunday celebrated the Pakhala Dibasa by consuming the traditional Odia meal.
“I had never thought that Pakhala would make me so famous and I would earn so much love from all. One of my videos where I was eating Pakhala went viral and made me popular on the internet,” Munda recalled while celebrating the day.
Meanwhile, a group of youths from Sambalpur also organised a feast in the forest to mark the ‘Pakhala Dibasa’. The youths prepared at least 20 other items along with Pakhala to celebrate the day.