Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan savours Pahala rasagola, praises Odisha’s culinary heritage

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s Odisha visit took a delightful turn on Monday evening when he made an unscheduled stop at one of the famed sweets shops in Pahala, near Bhubaneswar, to taste the state’s signature Pahala Rasagola.

Chouhan was accompanied by Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, who joined him in sampling the freshly prepared syrupy dessert while returning from an official event in Cuttack.

Sources stated that both leaders were warmly greeted by locals as the shopkeeper served them steaming hot rasagolas, a delicacy that holds deep cultural and religious importance in Odisha. Impressed by its taste, Chouhan described the sweet as “extremely soft, flavourful and unmatched.” He reportedly enjoyed several pieces before purchasing boxes to carry back with him.

The Minister later posted a short video clip on his official social media handle, appreciating the distinctive flavour and craftsmanship behind the dessert. The video quickly went viral, with several Odia users expressing pride over the national spotlight on one of the state’s most iconic sweets.

Odisha’s Food Heritage In The Spotlight

Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo also shared the moment on his X handle. In his detailed post, Singh Deo described the rasagola as ‘more than just a dessert’, calling it ‘a symbol of Odisha’s culinary heritage,’ and one that is ‘steeped in tradition, devotion, and craftsmanship.’

He noted that its unique flavour, refined over centuries, now carries “the fragrance of Odisha across the globe.”

The Deputy CM also added that it was heartening to see how this humble sweet has become a global ambassador of Odisha’s identity and legacy.

Locals in Pahala, a stretch of shops on NH-16 between Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, expressed joy over the recognition. Shop owners said the minister’s visit brought renewed attention to the sweets’ geographical indication (GI) tag and its role in promoting local livelihoods.

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The sweet detour came as part of Chouhan’s two-day official visit to Odisha, where he is participating in several agricultural programmes. On November 10, he attended state-level events promoting millet cultivation, met millet farmers, and reviewed field activities supporting the Shri Anna (millet) mission.