Postal stamp of Rasogolla released to mark the 150th year of syrupy sweet

A postal stamp and a special carried cover on rasogolla, Bengal's famed sweet, has been released here to mark the 150th year of the syrupy dessert's invention.

The stamp was launched at the inaugural function of 'Baghbazar-O-Rasogolla Utsab', a festival to celebrate the renowned sweet here on Friday.

Baghbazar is a locality in the northern part of the city where the creator of rasogolla, Nobin Chandra Das lived and worked. He had invented the sweet in 1868.

West Bengal had won the Geographical Indication (GI) for 'Banglar Rasogolla' on November 14, 2017 after a 26-month legal tussle with neighbouring state Odisha.

City Mayor and Minister for Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Firhad Hakim said at the programme, "We had heard that there was another claimant (Odisha) as the inventor of sponge rasogolla but knew that none could take away something which rightfully belongs to Bengal.

"Nobin Chandra Das, the creator of rasogolla was one of us and the sweet belongs to us," he said adding the government will do everything to promote the sweet globally.

"The West Bengal government thanks the GI authorities once again for vindicating its stand," he added.

The Trinamool Congress MP of Kolkata North, Sudip Bandyopadhyay said the people are happy that Bengal had won the "battle" for rasogolla and the TMC government will always work to protect the cultural identity of the state.

"If Gujarat and Maharashtra are called the economic capitals of the country, Bengal can very well be described as the cultural capital," he said.

Great-great-grandson of the inventor rasogolla and the owner of a Bengali sweets chain, Dhiman Das said, "I am very happy that the 150th year of the great invention is being celebrated so elaborately."

"The 'utsav' is an effort to honour the inventor and also to uphold the history of Bagbazar," said Shashi Panja, the chief convenor of the organising committee.

Kolkata Post Master General J Charukeshi was present during the release of the postal stamp.

A total of 25 stalls had been put up at the programme ground by different sweet shops, offering rasogolla and an array of other sweets.