HIDCO to celebrate 'Rosogolla Day' on Nov 14 at Misti Hub
Kolkata: Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) is going to celebrate 'Rosogolla Day' on November 14, the day when Bengal's Rosogolla got Geographic Identification (GI) tag.
Senior officials of HIDCO along with the members of Rosogolla Association will meet on Tuesday to chalk out the programme.
The function will be held at Misti Hub in New Town. There will be a discussion on Rosogolla in which noted Kolkata historian Haripada Bhowmick and others will take part. Apart from selling sweets, Misti Hub is coming up as a cultural point where musical programmes and discussions on the history of Bengali sweets are held
frequently.
Rosogolla is Bengal's great pride and it is amazing to note that Rabindranath Tagore had a "special weakness" for sponge Rosogolla of Nabin Chandra Das, popularly known as Nabin moira (sweet maker).
In "Antaranga Rabindranath" by Dr Pashupati Bhattacharya, one gets an intimate description of Tagore's love for Rosogolla. Dr Bhattacharya, a medical practitioner took lessons in Rabindrasangeet from Tagore and was also a close associate of Dr BC Roy.
After coming to know from Dr Bhattacharya that he was a resident of Bagbazar, Tagore one day inquired whether he had tasted the sponge Rosogolla of Bagbazar. On getting a negative reply from Dr Bhattacharya, Tagore asked him to have it once and requested him to bring the same for him.
Not only did Tagore himself appreciated sponge Rosogolla, he also presented it to his near and dear ones and anyone who requested him to recommend.
Dr Bhattacharya, though a resident of the area, did not know about sponge Rosogolla. However, on inquiry he found that it was available at the shop of Nabin moira, popularly known as the "Columbus of Bengal."
As per instruction from Gurudev, Dr Bhattacharya had two Rosogollas and bought one handi (earthen pot in which Rosogollas were given to customers) for Tagore.
Tagore was very happy to receive it but could not talk to him as on the next morning he was scheduled to leave for
Santiniketan.
Nearly after two months, Dr Bhattacharya received a letter from Tagore informing him about the date when he was coming back to Jorasanko along with a request to get another handi of Rosogolla for him.
Dr Bhattacharya went to Nabin moira's shop but on that day all Rosogollas were sold. Finding no other option, he bought the same from another shop and presented it
to Tagore.
Gurudev was not at all happy with the taste and told him: "I found the taste to be different" and then jokingly said: "You have deceived me. It is not the same Rosogolla."
On the next occasion, when Dr Bhattacharya presented another handi of the 'sponge Rosogolla', Tagore remarked: "This is real Bagbazar Rosogolla. It melts in your mouth." Tagore often asked his near ones to go to Bagbazar and enjoy Nabin moira's Rosogolla.
