Pakhala Dibasa

(4 Min Read)

O, for a Meal of Pakhala!

Pakhala is for Odias what Pizza is for the Italians, Doner Kebab for the Turkish, Hamburger for the American, Falafel and Hummus for the Middle Eastern, Beluga Caviar for the Russians, Wagyu Beef for the Japanese, and Pecking Duck for the Chinese. To take examples from closer home, Pakhala is to Odisha what Butter Chicken Masala is to Punjab, Hilsa Curry to Bengal, Sattu Paratha with Chokha to Bihar, Dal Bati with Churma to Rajasthan, and Dosa and Idli to the South. Each region has its most favoured food; and Pakhala is that dish for Odisha, the eastern State with a population of 4.75 crs.

Pakhala Dibasa

Odias are passionate and proud Pakhala eaters. This author is an Odia, and has been nourished by this simple but nutritious meal during his early years, but had not heard of a Pakhala Day, since every day was a pakhala day at home. Social media now tells that Mar 20 is designated (by Odisha Culture or Tourism department?) as PakhAla Dibasa, and some have gone a little over the top to name it Vishwa Pakhala Dibasa. No issue if non-Odias are clueless about pakhala; it is hoped that prabasi Odias all over the country and the world would be seized with nostalgia for their unforgettable love affair with pakhala, and improvise to cook and serve a pakhala meal to their family, at least on this special day.

A friend forwarded on WhatsApp a painting of Lord Jagannatha savouring pakhala; another friend sent a video of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik enjoying a Pakhala meal - a bowl of pakhala with six accompanying dishes of saag, fries and fritters. I have not fact-checked, but guess that Odisha PIB or Tourism may have circulated this video to promote Odisha Tourism, Culture and Cuisine.

What is Pakhala?

Simply put, Pakhala is ‘rice in water,’ but far from a humdrum serving of savourless starch; it is a culinary delight with excellent nutrition; a wholesome meal with several mouth-watering accompaniments and seasonings. A pakhala meal is a simple yet elaborate affair where the ingredients must be right and the seasoning perfect. While the meal is partaken round the year by many, it is best enjoyed in summer. A soul-satisfying meal for a scorching summer, and a panacea against dehydration and fatigue.

Pakhala derives from the Sanskrit word ‘prakshyalana’ and means cooked rice washed with water after draining the thick gruel, and thereafter allowed to sit in water till it is served. It is best cooked in an earthen handi over a slow fire to allow each grain to turn over for even cooking. Alas, the village potters are now out of business, and modern Odia households cook rice in a pressure cooker or an aluminium cooking pot; the old-world taste of pakhala from an earthen handi is possibly lost for ever.

Pakhala and Poetry

I guess that pakhala is somehow responsible for poetry and creative writing. Why else does Odisha have more poets and writers per square km (including this humble author) than other parts of India or the world?

An old Odia semi-classical song, ASA JIBANA DHANA MORA PAKHALA KANSA (Come, my Love, alluring and irresistible as a bowl of rice in water), sung by Late Bala Krushna Das, likens the beloved to a pakhala kansa, a delectable meal. The lyric extols pakhala as a life-saving meal, and in a little hyperbole, asserts that the life of a person who has never savoured this heavenly meal is thoroughly wasted. Odias may listen to this song, uploaded by Sujit Madhual in You Tube; for non-Odia readers, I may someday translate the cute song.

International Day of Happiness

Since 2013, the UN has celebrated 20 Mar as International Day of Happiness. The 11^th World Happiness Report, 2023 was released on 20 Mar 2023. Sadly, India ranks 126^th among 137 countries of the world, and is not far from Afghanistan, the least happy country, geographically and as per the Happiness Index, too. But that is another story.

It may not be a mere coincidence that Odias have chosen to celebrate Mar 20 as Pakhala Dibasa. A pakahala meal is guaranteed to make an Odia very, very HAPPY. So, the choice of date is most apt.

Pakhala: Cuisine fit for God

Of the Chhappan Bhog (56 dishes) served to Lord Jagannatha daily, nine are rice preparations of which four are pakhalas – Dahi pakhala (curd rice and water), Mitha pakhala (rice, sugar, and water), Ada pakhala (rice, grated ginger and water), and Arua pakhala (sun-dried and de-husked white rice, ghee, lemon, and salt).

The nine varieties of rice are served to the Lord with an accompaniment of fourteen different curries. Odias are not only rice eaters but also consume prodigious amounts of dal, green vegetables and saag. Man has made God in his own image, and serves those dishes which he finds most delicious, not unlike the Shabari who tasted each fruit before offering it to Rama.

Image Credit: Painting of Lord Jagannatha savouring Pakhala, by Suryakant.

Odisha Tourism’s Twitter handle mentions Subasa Pakhala (Fragrant Rice in Water) which gets its aroma and unique taste from grated ginger and roasted cumin seeds, and claims that this dish is part of the Chhappan Bhog recipes for Jagannatha. Possibly, it is another name for Ada (ginger) Pakhala.

A happy diner at Bhubaneswar tweeted his immense satisfaction when served a whole Pakhala meal for lunch in his office.

Pakhala for Princes and Paupers

Pakhala is a most democratic dish, and delivers the same exquisite satisfaction to princes and paupers. An agricultural worker may eat pakhala with a little saag, a fire-roasted okra or a small brinjal, with ambul and onion all four meals of the day - breakfast, lunch, afternoon meal, and dinner. A rich man may be served several dishes to pair with it, but I doubt if his happiness is greater than is available from a modest meal.

Odia Chhappan Bhog Eateries

I wonder why no Odia entrepreneur has taken Odia cuisine to the rest of India and the world. How about a chain of Odia Chhappan Bhog Eateries, different from the sweetmeat shops of that name, offering the dishes served daily to Lord Jagannatha? Of course, the cooking method in the Lord’s own kitchen at Puri is so unique, no replication would taste as divine. But those who have never visited Puri could get an idea of the variety of dishes served to Jagannatha.

A Typical Pakhala Meal

A typical pakhala meal comprises:

·       Rice in water

·       Fish fry or curry – big, medium, or small size

·       Sour dish – tomato khata or similar

·       Saag

·       Tawa-fried potala (parbal), potato or brinjal slices, drumsticks, Badi, chick-pea

·       Curd

·       A few pods of fresh tamarind or sun-dried mango slice (ambula), with salt, green chillies, spring onions, a few cloves of garlic; may be embellished with lightly roasted pickled diced bamboo shoots

·       In summer, a few drops of the juice from the stem of a freshly plucked raw mango to season the pakhala for an amazing aroma

Pakhala Varieties: Fresh or Fermented

Jagannatha is served only fresh or Garama pakhala, and only very fine arua (also called alua) rice (sun-dried and de-husked) is used; but many of his devotees are partial to ushuna (par-boiled rice lightly de-husked) which is tastier and healthier. Many also prefer basi, which is fermented rice, with the degree of fermentation being an individual choice.

In the past, joint families in the villages cooked only one major meal a day – a big handi of rice – to serve at least two meals to the entire family, and yet another serving the next day. Rice cooked in the morning is mildly fermented in summer by the evening, decently fermented by the next noon, and strongly fermented thereafter. Some also eat tiasi, which is the third day of fermentation.

In summer, every house in the village is a micro-brewery, and the torani or gruel of the pakhala serving is, indeed, a mild rice beer; a perfect antidote to the harsh summer. Basi is sour, and tastes better with dollops of salt, much needed to restore the electrolyte balance after profuse sweating.

Summer is here

Even though we are prabasi Odias, we often have pakhala for lunch in summer. Our cook is very confused when my spouse pours water on top of cooked rice! Spouse prefers fresh pakhala with curd; my preference is for the mildly fermented; both of us are guaranteed satisfaction and a relaxing siesta.

Should you visit our home in summer at lunch, we would be happy to give you a taste of Pakhala and the unique Taste of Odisha!

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Books by the Author

P.K. Dash has published the following books:

Short story collections:

Tell A Tale and Other Stories

Invisible Poet and Other Stories

The Mysterious Ladies and Other Stories

Fiction

Kathapur Tales

Essays

Pink Diamond and Other Essays

Self-Help

How To Be an Author in 7 Days: A Beginner’s Guide to Self- Publishing

Story books for children:

Cave of Joy: Anand Gufa

Two Tales, Three Tellers: A Fairytale & A Fable

Poetry

RIVER SONG and Other Poems

Songs of Soil: Selected Poems of an Unschooled Bard: Padma Shri Haladhar Nag

O Krishna, O Son! Yashoda’s Sublime Song of Sorrow

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Note: Print copies of these books, except Pink Diamond and Other Essays, are available at amazon.in, notionpress.com, and flipkart.com. Ebooks are available at Amazon Kindle.