By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:To further promote the popularity of Odisha’s main summer dish ‘Pakhal’, the state-level ‘Pakhal Parva’ programme was celebrated by the Tourism Department at Panthanivas in Bhubaneswar. Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi attended the event and said that Pakhal is not just a food but an integral part of Odisha’s culture and tradition.
The main objective of Pakhal Diwas is to bring Odia food to the world. The Chief Minister said that this day is an attempt to unite all Odias so that this traditional food of ours does not get lost in today’s Western food culture.
The Chief Minister got emotional while talking about the connection of Pakhal with his childhood and said that it is not only the food of the poor, but it is also loved by Lord Jagannath. In the temple, ‘Tank Torani’ and Pakhal Bhog are offered to Lord Jagannath. Offering this simple food to the Lord shows how pure the common lifestyle is. The greatest quality of Pakhal is that it is a ‘Zero Waste’ food.
Talking about the probiotic properties of kelp, the Chief Minister said in his speech that the beneficial bacteria present in kelp kill the harmful bacteria present in the body.
He said that World Pakhal Day is no longer celebrated only in Odisha. It has now become a global celebration. Odias living in different parts of India and around the world are celebrating this day with pride. Pakhal has become a way for Odias living abroad to stay connected to their land. It makes us proud that our culture is reaching every corner of the world.
On the occasion of Pakhal Parva, the Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to the entire farming community of the world and urged the younger generation to understand the value of Odia traditions.
In a fast-changing world, it is important to move forward, but it is equally important to stay connected to our roots. Pakhal Divas is an integral part of our government’s vision of a ‘Developed Odisha’ today. The main goal of our government is to move forward strongly towards modernity while preserving our ancient culture. The continuous efforts of our government to honour the heritage of Odisha through Pakhal Divas and preserve it for the future generations has created a new hope and pride in the hearts of every Odia, he said.
During the event, the Chief Minister interacted with the Odia diaspora from 15 states including Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Singapore, etc. who were connected through virtual channels. On this occasion, the Chief Minister felicitated the chefs who are promoting Odia food globally and nationally.
Especially, the 117 kg of rice prepared by the Tourism Department for the Guinness Book of World Records today, using 850 kg of rice, attracted everyone’s attention. It is worth noting that this rice was distributed by the state government to more than 2000 people from underprivileged communities.
Before the program began, the Chief Minister visited the Odia Food Fair at Panthanivas along with all the guests and highly appreciated the preparation of about 326 types of Odia dishes. On this occasion, the Chief Minister ate pakhaal with all the distinguished guests.
The event was graced by the Speaker of the Assembly, Mrs. Surma Padhi, Deputy Speaker, Shri Bhavani Shankar Bhoi, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Kanakbardhan Singh Deo, Deputy Chief Minister Smt. Parvathi Parida, Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, Rajya Sabha MP Shri Manmohan Samal, MLA from Bhubaneswar Shri Babu Singh, Chief Secretary Smt. Anu Garg, MLAs and special guests were present.
