Bhubaneswar: Amid a debate over who first baked one of Odisha’s most iconic desserts, Chhenapoda, Bidyadhar Sahoo or his son Sudarshan Sahoo, Chhenapoda Dibasa was celebrated across the state on Saturday with enthusiasm and a renewed push for its geographical indication (GI) tag.From Bhubaneswar and Cuttack to Nayagarh district, the birthplace of Chhenapoda, sweet shops, food enthusiasts and cultural organisations marked the day by preparing and distributing the dessert. Social media platforms were flooded with pictures, videos and nostalgic anecdotes, with hashtags celebrating the Odia delicacy trending locally.In Nayagarh, celebrations took a festive turn in the town. However, in Daspalla, sweet-makers skipped the occasion, maintaining that Chhenapoda Dibasa should be observed on Dec 31, the death anniversary of Bidyadhar Sahoo, whose “experiment” with leftover chhena (cottage cheese) led to the creation of the dessert. The state has been officially celebrating Chhenapoda Dibasa on April 11 since 2022.Rakesh Sahoo, great-grandson of Bidyadhar Sahoo, said while one section celebrates April 11 to mark the birth anniversary of Sudarshan Sahoo (Bidyadhar’s second son), those in Daspalla observe it on Dec 31. “Bidyadhar Sahoo was the gudia (traditional sweet-maker) of the Daspalla king. It was a chance experiment with leftover chhena by him and his wife, Jemmamani Sahoo, that led to Chhenapoda. The couple first offered it to the king, who loved it. Their sons, Sudarshan and Bhagwan Sahoo, later sold it at Kacheri Road in Nayagarh. Only after Bidyadhar’s death did Sudarshan begin preparing it at his own shop,” he said.On the occasion, many demanded a GI tag for the sweet, with due recognition of its original creator, Bidyadhar Sahoo, and its place of origin, Daspalla. ORMAS and the then Nayagarh collector filed a GI application for Chhenapoda in 2023, which is yet to be approved.GI and cultural researcher Anita Sabat said Chhenapoda Dibasa should be observed on Dec 31 as a tribute to its original creator. “Misinformation led to the celebration being fixed on April 11, and this should be corrected in the GI application as well. Since Bidyadhar Sahoo’s birth date is unknown, April 11, the birth anniversary of his second son, Sudarshan, was chosen in 2022. He popularised his father’s creation and later began preparing it himself,” she said.
