After a highly-sentimental culinary war, Odisha has finally received the GI (Geographic Indicator) tag for its variant of the ubiquitous roshogolla. The official status has been granted to the 'Odisha rasagola' two years after a bitter internet battle between Bengali and Odia citizens, that saw thinkers, writers and even public officials weighing in on origin stories.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik shared the news on Twitter today, with an image of the official GI certificate. He noted that the sweet, made of cottage cheese and dipped in a sugary syrup, has been offered at Puri's Jagannath Temple for centuries. The Odia community online is in a celebratory mood, with some calling the announcement 'redemption'.
According to this certificate from the Geographical Indication Registry, a body under the Indian government, the Odisha Small Industries Corporation Limited (OSIC) and the Utkala Mistanna Byabasayee Samiti will hold propriety over the Odisha rasagola. As we'd previously noted, being afforded GI-status does wonders when it comes to boosting local industries and sustaining a responsibly-sourced, artisanal food culture. It's happened for several other unique dishes, textiles, produce and handicraft varieties in India. Then again, it's fairly easy to exploit the heritage tag in the black market.
What do you think is a good way to toe the line