ORNAMENTAL BENGALI CUISINE AS A STARTER IN BENGALI DISH: A SIGN OF ART

Prof. Dr. Dhrubo Jyoti Sen*

ABSTRACT

Gohona bori or naksha bori are ornamented sun-dried dumplings made with soaked moth beans, a particular kind of lentils used for its viscosity. Originating in the villages of Tamluk of east Midnapur (West Bengal), Gohona bori, designed in the form of paisleys, ornaments, or flowers, constituted a staple of this specific region. But artists like Abanindranath Tagore and Nandalal Bose were so fascinated with the concept of Gohona bori that they popularized it throughout Bengal and also contributed to its design with other unconventional motifs. Gohona bori acquired the status of fine art when Rabindranath Tagore expressed his desire to preserve images of Gohona bori in the art department (Kala Bhavan) of Viswa Bharati University. Even though it is not a particularly easy thing to make, I wanted to blog about Gohona bori because it effectively dismantles the curry myth by showing that in the face of colonization and commercialization, Bengali cuisine has been able to retain its authenticity by keeping its regional identity intact.

Keywords: Gohona bori, Naksha bori, Ornamental cuisine.