Haldhar Nag's ‘Raag Chana' spices up Rath Yatra at Ghens in Bargarh
BARGARH: As the chariots roll down the Grand Road in Puri and other parts of Odisha during Rath Yatra, the nondescript village of Ghens in Bargarh district eagerly looks forward to something more than the divine festival.
Here, spirituality is served with a side of spice. Alongside the festivities, villagers and visitors alike queue up for a taste of the iconic 'Raag Chana Ghugni' - spicy yellow pea curry - a humble delicacy prepared and sold by none other than Koshali poet and Padma Shri Haldhar Nag.
Clad in his signature white dhoti, Nag sets up a modest stall near his Kabi Kutira during the Rath Yatra. The scene is simple: An earthen stove, steel vessels, and the fragrance of ground masalas. But the emotion behind it is profound. As the aroma of his hand-cooked Raag Chana fills the lanes, devotees stop by not just for a meal, but for a memory.
What surprises many outsiders is that the man behind the ladle is Nag, who was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2016 by then president Pranab Mukherjee for his literary contribution to Sambalpuri literature. Yet, for villagers of Ghens, this scene is familiar. Decades ago when Nag had no means to support his family financially, he began selling Raag Chana to survive. And alongside stirring the curry, he also stirred hearts with his poetry.
Locals claim there's something magical about the blend; perhaps it is the poet's closely guarded secret. However, Nag laughs it off. 'There is no secret. It's just a desi recipe passed down through experience and instinct. I use a few hand-pounded masalas, fresh turmeric, and rustic cooking methods.
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