Rasagolla - The Famous Bengali Sweet & it's Journey of 1600 Years

Rashogolla - the famous Bengali dessert that providing it's sweetness from the historical 5th Century to present day- Story of it's journey of total 1600 years. 

Rashogolla, also known in Rasgulla,  is a Bengali syrupy dessert popular in the Indian subcontinent and regions with South Asian diaspora that exists in the region of Bengal from historical 5th Century. It is made from ball-shaped dumplings of chhena (an Indian cottage cheese) and semolina dough, cooked in light sugar syrup made of sugar. This is done until the syrup permeates the dumplings.

Banglar Rashogolla, the journey of 1600 years 

● 5th Century Mention of Rashogolla in Bengal :

In Sanskrit, there is a reference to a word called Āmīkṣā (আমীক্ষা/आमीक्षा), which means Chhana in Bengali (Nagendranath Bose, ‘Encyclopedia’, Volume II, p. 112). Chhana is a distortion of milk and perverted goods cannot be devotional. So it is generally ‘unknown’ and forbidden to suffer the gods.

The Madanmohan temple at Bishnupur, the capital of Mallabhum Rajya

Vikramāditya-pārṣada Amar Simha's "Amarakōṣha", a text from the timeline of 5th century, the very beginning era of Gaudiya Civilization, is the witness that Chhana created by 'squeezing' milk were not considered suitable for consumption by the rest of Bhārata except Baṅgāl.

● 14th-15th Century, Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition & Chaitanya Bhakti movement :

The antiquity of the Bengali sweet Roshogolla can be traced back to Nabadwip, when Vaishnavism was on the rise — from the last part of the 14th century through the Bhakti movement of the 15th century. The story of the sweet has been well documented by sweetmeat researcher Haripada Bhowmick, who served as a resource person for the state as it staked its claim at the Geographical Indications registrations office. Chhana as an easily digestible food was used commonly by the Vaishnavites of Nabadwip, who worshipped cows and consumed a lot of milk products. At that stage, curdling of milk with tamarind was common.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu with Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya performing Nagara Kirtana at Navadwip circa 15th Century 

● The 19th Century Reconstruction of Bengali Roshogolla :

In Bengal, the Halwais are known as "Moira", just as Purohits are "Thakur Moshai". Here are the 19thcentury Moiras who shaped the modern fame of this famous sweet of Bengal, Rashogolla .

● Haradhan Moira : In 1846-1848, Haradhan Moira from Phulia village of Nadia district is first created this sweet which is considered to be the forerunner of Rashogolla. In his book, Pranab Roy narrates the story of Haradhan Moira's Rasgolla based on the minutes of the "Baṅgīẏa Sāhitya Pariṣada" of 1313 Baṅgābda. He quoted Panchanan Bandyopadhyay as saying that Rasgolla was born in birthplace of the Rāmāẏaṇa Baṅgānubādaka Krittibas, in Phuliya village of Nadia. The aristrocatic Pal Chowdhury landlords of Ranaghat named it "Rashogolla".

● Braja Moira : In 1866, the ancestor of Dinu Moira on Sitaram Ghosh Street in Benetola, Kolkata, Braja Moira again made Rashogolla in his shop near the Calcutta High Court.

● Nobin Chandra Das/ Nobin Moira : In the year 1868 Nobin Chandra Das, known as the "Colombus of Roshogolla" created "Rossogolla" – which was to be his arguably most significant creation. It was a popular sweet of his time which was affordable across all economic segments of society. It took some time for Rashogolla to become popular in the absence of advertising and media as we know it today.

Nobin Chandra Das who reconstructed the physique of Roshogolla, honoured as 'Colombus of Rosogolla'

|| Śubha Rasagōllā Dibas ||

On this 14 November, in 2017 - Bengal won the GI tag of the famous Bengali sweet #Rashogolla. Rasgolla is inextricably linked with Bengali and Bengalis life. From the very beginning of Gaudiya Civilization in 5th Century to the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of 15th Century, Rashogolla is integrally linked with our life.