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13 Famous Odia Festivals And Their Important Delicacies!





13 Famous Odia Festivals And Their Important Delicacies!

Here are the best of finger licking foods to enjoy at major Odia festivals!

1) Kanji | Kanji Anla Osha

Having a lot of variants and primarily made from either boiled rice water or curd, Kanji can be referred to as the Odia version of soup. Considered to exude a cool sensation, this dish when cooked in curd, somewhat resembles the North Indian Kadhi and renders a tantalizing taste!

2) Makar Chaula | Makar Sankranti

Made out of uncooked, crushed rice which is freshly harvested, this dish is prepared only on Makar Sankranti, the Hindu New Year. It is combined with fruits like banana, grated coconut, apple and others besides sugar or jaggery, thus making the entire thing a tasty and nutritious delicacy!

3) Ghanta | Dutiya Osha

A store house of nutrition, a perfect combination of vegetables, sprouts and everything else, Ghanta is a hot favorite among all Odias. One cannot miss out on this hugely revered Odia dish and a vegetarian’s heaven as well!

4) Bela Pana or Chhatua | Mahabisubha or Pana Sankranti

Considered a perfect cure to stomach problems, this healthy drink is prepared in various households on every Odia New Year. Extracted bel pulp mashed with chhena, banana, curd, sugar and pepper makes it a hit among people of all generations!

5) Ghoda Mithei | Diwali

Prepared from sugar syrup, this is quite abundantly available during Diwali on the streets of Cuttack and some other places. Interestingly, they are given unique shapes of horses, elephants and sometimes human forms as well. Once you look at this sweet, we are sure you will be like a kid in a candy store!

6) Poda Pitha | Raja

New clothes, games and with it the legendary Poda Pitha, a favorite dish of Lord Jagannath, is what primarily characterizes the Raja festival. Baked from the batter of ground black gram, rice and coconut besides many other ingredients, this can be rightly described as the Odia cake!

7) Chhena Khaee Chanda | Kumar Purnima

Kumar Purnima is a unique festival in which young unmarried girls pray to the moon for having a handsome husband like Lord Kartikeya. What’s offered is a tasty dish made of chhena, mixed with banana, ghee, honey and other things, that is happily relished by one and all!

8) Enduri Pitha | Prathamashtami

Tracing its origin to Lord Jagannath, this Pitha is a healthy and light dish which also has a laxative effect. Filled with sweet coconut stuffing, this is steamed inside turmeric leaf. Apart from enjoying the attention during this festival for being a first born, you can also heartily enjoy this once-in-a-year preparation.

9) Dhanu Muaan | Dhanu Sankranti

Prepared from fried paddy, and added with ghee, sugar, spices and coconut slices, this thing will surely satisfy your sweet tooth. It is highly famous among the people of Bargarh who celebrate the festival of Dhanu Sankranti and Dhanu Jatra with much grandeur!

10) Chitau Pitha | Chitau Amabasya

While one side of this Pitha is cooked properly, its other side gets prepared itself from the heat and vapour of the vessel. Made from rice flour batter and grated coconut, this is a peculiar yet classic delicacy made on Chitau Amabasya!

11) Khira Gaintha | Bakula or Bakula Amabasya

In the exclusive range of Pithas, this is another one that’s just completely Odia. In it, rice flour is formed into dough by adding hot water, and on cooling, these are rolled into small shapes and are put into thickened sweet milk. It tastes best when cold!

12) Ghadghadiya Tarkari | Samba Dasami

Samba Dasami is an occasion where women worship the Sun God for their family’s well being. Apart from every member’s favorite food item that is cooked on this day, a kind of bubbling curry known as Ghadghadiya Tarkari is prepared as well!

13) Manda, Jau, Kakara, Dahi Kalua | Manabasa Gurubar

Many offerings prepared by housewives are given to Maa Lakshmi on this particular festival. But the primary items offered are various kinds of Pithas, including Manda, Chakuli etc. besides Dahi Kalua which is an exclusive soup preparation!

Author: Adyaa upasana

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