View source for Rasgulla

{{Short description|Syrupy dessert popular in South Asia}}
{{Redirect|Rosogolla|the 2018 film|Rosogolla (film)}}
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{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}
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{{Infobox food
| name = Rasgulla
| image = {{multiple image
| border = infobox
| total_width = 250
| perrow = 1/1
| image1 = Rasgulla.jpg
| caption1 = Bengali Rosogolla, also known as ''rasgulla''
| image2 = RasGulla_Jaggery.jpg
| caption2 = Odia Rasagola, also known as ''Pahala''}}
| alternate_name = Rosogolla, roshogolla, rasbhari or rasbari (Nepali), rasagola, rosgola
| region = [[West Bengal]] , [[Odisha]]
| course = [[Dessert]]
| type = Soft sweet soaked in syrup
| served = Hot, cold, or room temperature
| main_ingredient = [[Chhena]], [[sugar]]
| minor_ingredient = 
| variations = Bengali roshogolla, Odia rasagola
| serving_size = 
| calories = 
| protein = 
| fat = 
| carbohydrate = 
| glycemic_index = 
| similar_dish = [[Ras malai]], [[khiramohana]], [[Khondoler misti]]
| other = 
| national_cuisine = [[Indian cuisine|India]], [[Bangladeshi cuisine|Bangladesh]], [[Pakistani cuisine|Pakistan]], [[Nepalese cuisine|Nepal]]
| country = [[India]]
| cookbook = Rosogulla
}}

'''Rasgulla''' (literally "syrup filled ball"){{efn|Also known as rasagola, rosogola, or rosogolla.}} is a syrupy dessert popular in the [[Eastern South Asia|eastern part]] of [[South Asia]]. It is made from ball-shaped dumplings of [[chhena]] dough, cooked in light [[sugar]] syrup. This is done until the syrup permeates the dumplings.

While it is near-universally agreed upon that the dessert originated in the eastern Indian subcontinent, the exact locus of origin is disputed between locations such as [[West Bengal]],<ref>{{Cite book|last=Subodhchandra Sengupta|url=http://archive.org/details/SamsadBanglaCharitabhidhan|title=Samsad Bangla Charitabhidhan|date=1960}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Ghosh|first=Bishwanath|date=15 November 2014|title=Kolkata Chromosome: Like KC for 'rossogolla'|url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/J5jK255x5F6wpRll00gVFP/Kolkata-Chromosome-Like-KC-for-rossogolla.html|access-date=24 August 2021|website=mint|language=en}}</ref> and [[Odisha]],<ref>{{Cite news|title=Panel seal on rasgulla's Odisha origin|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1160714/jsp/frontpage/story_96633.jsp#.V_DfrHV97Qo|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160715155949/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1160714/jsp/frontpage/story_96633.jsp#.V_DfrHV97Qo|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 July 2016|access-date=2 October 2016}}</ref> where it is offered at the [[Jagannath Temple, Puri|Puri Jagannath Temple]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Sarat Chandra Mahapatra|title=Car Festival of Lord Jagannath, Puri|date=1994|publisher=Sri Jagannath Research Centre|location=Puri|page=149|oclc=967072714}}</ref>

In 2017, when West Bengal got its rosogolla's [[geographical indication]] (GI) status, the Registry Office of India clarified that West Bengal was given GI status for Banglar rosogolla and Odisha can claim it too if they cite the place of origin of their variant along with colour, texture, taste, juice content and method of manufacturing.<ref name="NIE_2017" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ipindiaservices.gov.in/GI_DOC/533/533%20-%20Certificate%20of%20Registration%20-%2014-11-2017.pdf|title=GI Certificate by Govt of India}}</ref> In 2019, the Government of Odisha was granted the GI status for "Odisha rasagola" (Odia rasagola).<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/food-wine/odisha-receives-gi-tag-for-rasagola-5860795/|title=Sweet success: Odisha's Rasagola gets GI tag|date=29 July 2019|work=The Indian Express|language=en-IN|access-date=29 July 2019}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/battle-over-origin-of-rasgulla-contines-after-odisha-files-petition-demanding-change-of-gi-tag-2056055.html|title=Battle Over Origin of 'Rasgulla' Continues, After Odisha Files Petition Demanding Change of GI Tag|work=News18|access-date=29 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-odisha-finally-gets-geographical-indication-tag-for-odishara-rasagola/335106|title=Odisha Finally Gets Geographical Indication Tag For 'Odishara Rasagola'|magazine=Outlook |access-date=29 July 2019}}</ref>

== Names ==
The dessert is {{IPA|bn|rɔʃoɡolːa|pron}} in [[Bengali language|Bengali]], and {{IPA|or|ɾɔsɔɡola|pron}} in [[Odia language|Odia]] and {{IPA|sa|rɐsɐɡoːlɐkɐm|pron}} in [[Sanskrit]]. ''Rasgulla'' is derived from the words ''ras'' ("juice") and ''gulla'' ("ball").<ref name="Oxford_Rasgulla">{{cite web | url =http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/rasgulla?q=Rasgulla | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20150924134122/http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/rasgulla?q=Rasgulla | url-status =dead | archive-date =24 September 2015 | title =Rasgulla@Oxford Dictionaries | publisher =Oxford University Press | location = India | language = hi | access-date =28 August 2015}}</ref> Other names for the dish include ''rasagulla'',<ref>{{cite news |author=Deepika Sahu |date=2 July 2012 |title=Discover Odisha's 'sweet' magic |url= http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/Discover-Odishas-sweet-magic/articleshow/14595468.cms |work=The Times of India }}</ref> ''rossogolla'',<ref>{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/History-of-rossogolla-now-just-a-click-away/articleshow/18980157.cms |title=History of rossogolla now just a click away |newspaper=The Times of India |date=15 March 2013 }}</ref> ''roshogolla'',<ref>{{cite news |url=http://daily.bhaskar.com/news/BAN-of-luchi-rolls-roshogolla-in-durga-puja-2466492.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304091951/http://daily.bhaskar.com/news/BAN-of-luchi-rolls-roshogolla-in-durga-puja-2466492.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 March 2016 |title=Of luchi, rolls & roshogolla in Durga puja |newspaper=Daily Bhaskar |date=29 September 2011}}</ref> ''rasagola'',<ref name="ZeeJuly2015">{{cite news |url=http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/and-more/rasagola-originated-in-odisha-did-you-know_1638800.html |title=Rasagola originated in Odisha- Did you know? |publisher=Zee News |date=30 July 2015 }}</ref> ''rasagolla'',<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/Food/how-to-makerasagolla/article4927694.ece |title=How to make…Rasagolla |author=Sonali Pattnaik |newspaper=The Hindu |date=18 July 2013 }}</ref> and ''rasbhari'' or ''rasbari'' (Nepali).<ref name="Alan2006"/>

== History ==
=== Claims of invention in Bengal region ===
==== Claims of invention in West Bengal ====
According to sweetmeat researcher Haripada Bhowmick, ''dela rasagulla'' was popular in [[Nabadwip]] and [[Phulia]] of [[Nadia district|Nadia]]. [[Sri Chaitanya]] loved this type of rasagulla a lot and the art of its making was spread to other regions during the [[Bhakti movement]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=The rasogolla's journey, from Nadia to Odisha and Kolkata |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/the-rasogollas-journey-from-nadia-to-odisha-and-kolkata/articleshow/61651738.cms |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257 |date=15 November 2017 |access-date=9 August 2024}}</ref> The spongy, white rôśôgolla is believed to have been introduced in present-day [[West Bengal]] in 1868 by a [[Kolkata]]-based confectioner named [[Nobin Chandra Das]].<ref>{{cite book |date=1976 |title=Samsad Bangla Charitabhidhan |edition=1st |url=https://archive.org/stream/SamsadBanglaCharitabhidhan/Samsad-Bangla-Charitabhidhan#page/n237/mode/2up |access-date=23 February 2018|editor-last=Subodh Chandra |editor-first=Sengupta |publisher=Sahitya Samsad|location=Kolkata|page=240}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ghosh|first=Bishwanath|date=15 November 2014|title=Kolkata Chromosome: Like KC for 'rossogolla'|url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/J5jK255x5F6wpRll00gVFP/Kolkata-Chromosome-Like-KC-for-rossogolla.html|access-date=29 September 2020|work=mint|language=en}}</ref> Das started making rôśôgolla by processing the mixture of [[chhena]] and [[semolina]] in boiling sugar [[syrup]] in contrast to the mixture sans semolina in the original rôśôgolla in his sweet shop located at [[Sutanuti]] (present-day [[Bagbazar]]).

Yet another theory is that rôśôgolla was first prepared by someone else in Bengal, and Das only popularised it. In ''Banglar Khabar'' (1987), food historian Pranab Ray states that a man named Braja Moira had introduced rôśôgolla in his shop near [[Calcutta High Court]] in 1866, two years before Das started selling the dish.<ref name="Michael_Oxford">{{cite book |author=Ishita Dey |display-editors=etal |year=2015 |editor=Michael Krondl |title=The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R1bCBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA580 |publisher=Oxford University Press |pages=580–581 |isbn=978-0-19-931361-7}}</ref> In1906, Panchana Bandopadhyay wrote that rôśôgolla was invented in the 19th century by Haradhan Mondal (Moira),<ref>{{Cite web |title=বিশ্বের 'সবথেকে বড়' রসগোল্লার আত্মপ্রকাশ, ফুলিয়ায় মিষ্টিযজ্ঞ |url=https://www.sangbadpratidin.in/bengal/fulia-makes-worlds-biggest-rosogolla/ |access-date=1 May 2025 |website=sangbadpratidin |language=en-US}}</ref> a [[Phulia]]-based sweetmaker who worked for the Pal Chowdhurys of [[Ranaghat]].<ref>{{cite news |date=29 September 2014 |title=The sweet legacy of Durga Puja |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/food/The-sweet-legacy-of-Durga-Puja/articleshow/43790152.cms |newspaper=The Times of India}}</ref> According to ''Mistikatha'', a newspaper published by West Bengal Sweetmeat Traders Association, many other people prepared similar sweets under different names such as ''gopalgolla'' (prepared by Gopal Moira of Burdwan district), ''jatingolla'', ''bhabanigolla'' and ''rasugolla''.<ref name="Michael_Oxford"/> Food historian Michael Krondl states that irrespective of its origin, the rôśôgolla likely predates Nobin Chandra Das. A sales brochure of the company run by Das' descendants also hints at this: "it is hard to tell whether or not cruder versions of similar sweets existed anywhere at that time. Even if they did, they did not match the quality of Nobin Chandra, and having failed to excite the Bengali palate, they slipped into oblivion."<ref name="Michael_2011"/>

[[Bhagwandas Bagla]], a [[Marwari people|Marwari]] businessman and a customer of Nobin Chandra Das, popularised the Bengali rôśôgolla beyond the shop's locality by ordering huge amounts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rediff.com/business/slide-show/slide-show-1-how-the-rasogolla-became-a-global-name/20111116.htm?print=true |title=How the rasogolla became a global name! |date=16 November 2011 |work=[[rediff.com]] }}</ref>

=== Modern popularity ===
In 1930, the introduction of [[vacuum packing]] by Nobin Chandra's son [[Krishna Chandra Das]] led to the availability of canned Rasgullas, which made the dessert popular outside Kolkata, and subsequently, outside India.<ref name="IE_sticky_2011">{{cite news | author = Piyasree Dasgupta | date = 29 October 2011 | title = Sticky Sweet Success | url = http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/sticky-sweet-success/867051/0 | work = Indian Express }}</ref> Krishna Chandra's son [[Sarada Charan Das]] established the K.C. Das Pvt Ltd company in 1946.<ref name="GHOSH2014">{{cite book |author=Bishwanath Ghosh |title=Longing, Belonging: An Outsider At Home In Calcutta |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C4obBQAAQBAJ&pg=PT177 |date=29 October 2014 |publisher=Westland |isbn=978-93-84030-60-5 |page=177 }}</ref> Sarada Charan's younger, estranged son Debendra Nath established [[K.C. Das Grandsons]]  in 1956.

Today, canned rasgullas are available throughout India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as in South Asian grocery stores outside the Indian subcontinent. In [[Nepal]], Rasgulla became popular under the name ''Rasbari''.<ref name="Alan2006">{{cite book | author=Alan Davidson | title=The Oxford Companion to Food | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pZ-1AQAAQBAJ&pg=PT1880 | date=21 September 2006 | publisher=OUP Oxford | isbn=978-0-19-101825-1 | pages=1880 }}</ref>

The Indian space agency, [[ISRO]], is developing dehydrated rasgullas and other dishes for Indian astronauts in its planned crewed missions.<ref>{{cite news |author=Ram Kumar Ramaswamy |date=16 June 2012 |title=Isro astronauts to savour idlis, rasgullas in space |url=http://archive.asianage.com/hyderabad/isro-astronauts-savour-idlis-rasgullas-space-187 |newspaper=Asian Age}}</ref>

In 2015, the Odisha government initiated a move to get [[Geographical indication]] (GI) status for the rasagulla made in Pahala.<ref name="ToI_citing_2015"/> On 30 July, the people of Odisha celebrated "Rasagola Dibasa" ("Rasgulla Day") to reaffirm Odisha as the place of the dish's origin.<ref name ="HT20July2015">{{cite news |author=Ramani Ranjan Mohapatra |date=30 July 2015 |title=#RasagolaDibasa trends as Odias reclaim iconic dish |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/rasagoladibasa-trends-as-odias-reclaim-iconic-dish/story-CoHZUeQ9zpxL4OLW5zSw5L.html |newspaper=Hindustan Times}}</ref> In August, [[West Bengal]] decided to legally contest Odisha's move to obtain GI Status.<ref name="ToI_Jhimli_2015">{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Maharashtra-takes-up-rosogolla-battle-with-Odisha/articleshow/48417745.cms |title=Maharashtra (West Bengal) takes up rosogolla battle with Odisha |work=The Times of India |date=10 August 2015 |author=Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey }}</ref> In 2015 The Odisha state government constituted three committees to claim over the rasgulla. The committees submitted their interim report to the government. Noted journalist and food researcher [[Bhakta Tripathy]] and a member of the committee had submitted dossier containing historical evidence of rasgulla origin in [[Odisha]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://orissadiary.com/ShowOriyaColumn.asp?id=62220 |title=Sweet Struggle - Origin of Rasgulla|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818041330/http://orissadiary.com/ShowOriyaColumn.asp?id=62220 |archive-date=18 August 2016|url-status=dead|date=16 October 2015|author=Sumit Behera|website=rissadiary.com}}</ref> The Science and Technology department of the West Bengal government also started the process to get its own GI status for the dessert.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/west-bengal-and-odisha-battle-over-the-invention-of-rasgulla-1211128 |title=West Bengal and Odisha Battle Over the Invention of 'Rasgulla' |publisher=NDTV |date=26 August 2015 }}</ref>

=== Alternative claims of Puri temple tradition of Odisha ===
According to historians of Odisha, the rasgulla originated in [[Puri]], as ''[[Khiramohana|khira mohana]]'', which later evolved into the Pahala rasgulla.<ref name="ToI_Bishwa_2015">{{cite news|author=Mitra Bishwabijoy|date=6 July 2015|title=Who invented the rasgulla?|newspaper=Times of India|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/food/food-features/Who-invented-the-rasgulla/articleshow/47909754.cms|access-date=2 August 2015}}</ref> It has been traditionally offered as ''[[bhog]],'' in other words a religious offering, to goddess [[Lakshmi]] at [[Jagannath Temple, Puri]].<ref>{{cite news|date=5 July 2009|title=Trinity take 'adhar pana' on raths|newspaper=The New Indian Express|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/article90964.ece#.UytBYlcqQ0M|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512225523/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/article90964.ece#.UytBYlcqQ0M|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 May 2014}}</ref> According to the local legend, Lakshmi gets upset because her husband [[Jagannath|Lord Jagannath]] goes on a 9-day sojourn (the ''ratha yatra'') without her consent. So, she locks ''Jai Vijay Dwar'', one of the temple gates and prevents his convoy from re-entering the [[Garbhagriha|Garbhagṛha]] (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple. To appease her, Jagannath offers her rasgullas. This ritual, known as ''Bachanika'', is part of the "Niladri Bije" (or "Arrival of the God") observance, which marks the return of the deities to the temple after the [[Ratha-Yatra (Puri)|Ratha Yatra]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Subhashish Mohanty|date=3 July 2012|title=Lord placates wife with sweet delight|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120703/jsp/odisha/story_15682727.jsp#.UytFEVcqQ0M|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140314143938/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120703/jsp/odisha/story_15682727.jsp#.UytFEVcqQ0M|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 March 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=26 July 2010|title=Sweet and sermon return for deities|newspaper=The Telegraph|location=Calcutta|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100726/jsp/orissa/story_12725909.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025125021/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100726/jsp/orissa/story_12725909.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 October 2012}}</ref>

The Jagannath Temple scholars such as Laxmidhar Pujapanda and researchers like Jagabandhu Padhi state that the tradition has existed since the 12th century, when the present-day temple structure was first built.<ref name="ToI_citing_2015">{{cite news|author1=Mohapatra Bhattacharya|author2=Debabrata Kajari|date=31 July 2015|title=Citing Rath ritual, Odisha lays claim to rasagulla, WB historians don't agree|newspaper=Times of India|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Citing-Rath-ritual-Odisha-lays-claim-to-rasagulla-WB-historians-dont-agree/articleshow/48297818.cms|access-date=1 August 2015}}</ref><ref name="Padhi2000">{{cite book|author=Jagabandhu Padhi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QHMeMwEACAAJ|title=Sri Jagannatha at Puri|date=2000|publisher=S.G.N. Publications}}</ref> Pujapanda states that the Niladri Bije tradition is mentioned in ''Niladri Mahodaya'', which is dated to the 18th century by Sarat Chandra Mahapatra.<ref name="ToI_citing_2015" /><ref>{{cite book|author=Sarat Chandra Mahapatra|title=Car Festival of Lord Jagannath, Puri|date=1994|publisher=Sri Jagannath Research Centre|location=Puri|page=55|oclc=967072714}}</ref> According to Mahapatra, several temple scriptures, which are over 300 years old, provide the evidence of rasgulla offering ritual in Puri.<ref>{{cite news|author=Debabrata Mohapatra|date=29 July 2007|title=Researchers Claim Rasgullas Were Born In Puri|newspaper=The Times of India}}</ref>

According to folklore, Pahala (a village on the outskirts of Odisha's capital [[Bhubaneswar]]) had a large number of cows. The village would produce excess milk, and the villagers would throw it away when it became spoilt. When a priest from the Jagannath Temple saw this, he taught them the art of [[curdling]], including the recipe for rasagulla. Pahala thus went on to become the biggest market for chhena-based sweets in the area.<ref>{{cite news|author=Madhulika Dash|date=11 September 2014|title=The Food Story: How India's favourite sweet dish rosugulla was born|newspaper=Indian Express|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/food-wine/the-food-story-how-indias-favourite-sweet-dish-rosugulla-was-born/}}</ref>

According to Asit Mohanty, an Odia research scholar on Jagannath cult and traditions, the sweet is mentioned as "Rasagola" in the 15th-century text ''[[Odia Ramayana|Jagamohana Ramayana]]'' of Balaram Das.<ref>{{cite news|date=15 July 2016|title=Hopes for Rasagola Origin in Odisha Revived|newspaper=The Pioneer|url=http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/hopes-for-rasagola-origin-in-odisha-revived.html|access-date=20 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Odisha celebrates GI Tag, distributes 50,000 Rasagolas in Bhubaneswar|date=19 August 2019|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/odisha-celebrates-gi-tag-distributes-50-000-rasagolas-in-bhubaneswar/story-TxjS2Z2uuKUM5pOTmo1mzL.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=The unkindest cut: 'Rasagolas' are not Bengali after all|date=3 August 2015|url=http://www.firstpost.com/living/unkindest-cut-rasagolas-not-bengali-2375514.html|work=Firstpost|access-date=12 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=New evidence on rasagola's Odisha origin found &#124; Sambad English|date=18 May 2016|url=https://sambadenglish.com/new-evidence-found-rasagolas-odisha-origin/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Rasagola &#124; PDF|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/472998635/Rasagola}}</ref>

The text mentions rasagola along with other sweets found in Odisha. There is also mention of many other cheese sweets like ''chhenapuri'', ''chhenaladu'' and ''rasabali''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ramayana|first=Jagamohan|title=Ramayana|publisher=Balaram Das|location=Ajodhya Kanda}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Typical selections from Oriya Literature|title=Ramayana|publisher=B.C. Mazumdar|page=84}}</ref> Another ancient text ''Premapanchamruta'' of Bhupati also mentions cheese (''chhena'').<ref>{{cite book|author=G. C. Praharaj|url=http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/contextualize.pl?p.15.praharaj.1121967|title=Purnnacandra Odia Bhashakosha|date=1931–1940|publisher=Utkal Sahitya Press|location=Cuttack|page=2594|access-date=20 July 2016|archive-date=27 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027000623/http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/contextualize.pl?p.15.praharaj.1121967|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is being argued that cheese making process was well known before coming of Portuguese in Odisha.

According to the Bengali culinary historian Pritha Sen, in the mid-18th century, many [[Odia people|Odia]] cooks were employed in Bengali homes who arguably have introduced Rasgulla along with many other Odia dishes, but there is no substantial claim to prove that.<ref name="ToI_Bishwa_2015" /> According to another theory, it is possible that the Bengali visitors to Puri might have carried the recipe for rasgulla back to Bengal in the nineteenth century. But no substantial claim regarding that was ever found by any historian or anyone else.<ref name="gastr">{{cite journal|author=Michael Krondl|date=Summer 2010|title=The Sweetshops of Kolkata|journal=Gastronomica|volume=10|issue=3|pages=58–65|doi=10.1525/gfc.2010.10.3.58|jstor=10.1525/gfc.2010.10.3.58}}</ref>

This claim is contested by Bengali historians.  According to food historians [[K. T. Achaya]] and Chitra Banerji, there are no references to cheese (including chhena) in India before the 17th century. The milk-based sweets were mainly made up of [[khoa]], before the [[Portuguese India|Portuguese]] influence led to the introduction of cheese-based sweets. Therefore, the possibility of a cheese-based dish being offered at Jagannath Temple in the 12th century is highly unlikely.<ref>{{cite news|author=Shoaib Daniyal|date=4 August 2015|title=Who Deserves Credit For The Rasgulla? Bengalis, Odiyas...Or The Portuguese?|newspaper=Kashmir Observer|url=http://www.kashmirobserver.net/news/opinion/who-deserves-credit-rasgulla-bengalis-odiyasor-portuguese|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009143538/http://www.kashmirobserver.net/news/opinion/who-deserves-credit-rasgulla-bengalis-odiyasor-portuguese|archive-date=9 October 2015}}</ref> According to Nobin Chandra Das' descendant Animikh Roy and historian Haripada Bhowmik, rasgulla is not even mentioned as one of the ''chhappan bhog'' ("56 offerings") in the early records of the Temple; the name of the sweet was coined in Bengal. They also state that it would have been a blasphemy to offer something made from spoiled milk (chhena) to a deity.<ref name="ToI_citing_2015" /><ref name="ToI_Jhimli_2015" /> However, Michael Krondl argues that Hindu dietary rules vary from region to region, and it is possible that this restriction did not exist in present-day Odisha. But at the same time, he could not give any substantial information to uphold the claim that he was forwarding.<ref name="Michael_2011">{{cite book|author=Michael Krondl|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gN6ySQnUnfwC&pg=PA53|title=Sweet Invention: A History of Dessert|publisher=Chicago Review Press|year=2011|isbn=978-1-55652-954-2|pages=55–59}}</ref>

== Rasagola Dibasa ==
On 30 July 2015, on the day of "Niladri Bije", a social media campaign was started by using the hashtag #RasagolaDibasa and it later became a mainstream celebration as the first day to celebrate Rasgulla's origin to be Odisha.<ref name="ZeeJuly2015"/><ref name ="HT20July2015"/><ref name=HT30July2015-1>{{cite news |author=Dhrubo Jyoti |date=30 July 2015 |title=Revenge is sweet: How Bengalis made rosogolla their own |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/revenge-is-sweet-how-bengalis-made-rosogolla-their-own/story-ystpu1mwJbgVAIOV8sYG8L.html |work=Hindustan Times |access-date=2 August 2015}}</ref> Odia newspaper [[Sambad]] and [[FM radio]] [[Radio Choklate]] in collaboration with the confectioners of Pahala celebrated a rasgulla exhibition-cum-awareness event in Bhubaneswar. Sand artist [[Sudarshan Patnaik]] made a sand sculpture in [[Puri Beach]] depicting "Niladri Bije" and Jagannath offering rasgulla to Lakshmi.<ref name=OST>{{cite news|title=Odisha celebrates 'Rasagola Dibasa' with great fanfare|url=http://odishasuntimes.com/2015/07/31/odisha-celebrates-rasagola-dibasa-with-great-fanfare/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150731215142/http://odishasuntimes.com/2015/07/31/odisha-celebrates-rasagola-dibasa-with-great-fanfare/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=31 July 2015|access-date=2 August 2015|date=31 July 2015}}</ref>

It has been agreed upon to celebrate the Rasagola Dibasa every year on the tithi of Niladri Bije in the lunar calendar. In the year 2016, the Rasagola Dibasa has been celebrated on 17 July.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/Odisha-celebrates-Rasagola-Dibasa-state-claims-evidence-of-origin/articleshow/53253203.cms|title=Odisha celebrates 'Rasagola Dibasa', state claims evidence of origin |work=The Times of India|access-date=21 July 2016}}</ref>

== Rosogolla Utsob ==
To pay tribute to the inventor of rosogolla, ‘[[Nobin Chandra Das]]’, and to promote [[Bengali cuisine|Bengali]] claim of authenticity over rosogolla, from 2017 the government of [[West Bengal]] has decided to celebrate "Rosogolla Utsob" every year on 28 December.<ref>{{Cite news|title=All you need to know about the 'Rosogolla Festival' |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/food-news/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-rosogolla-festival/articleshow/67284341.cms|access-date=24 August 2021|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> And in the 2017 rosogolla festival, Bengali confectioners prepared the world's largest rasgulla, which weighed nine kilograms.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Sengar|first=Resham|title=Now, West Bengal creates world's biggest 'Rasgulla' weighing 9 kg!|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/now-west-bengal-creates-worlds-biggest-rasgulla-weighing-9-kg/as61818151.cms|access-date=24 August 2021|newspaper=The Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Venkatesh|first=Shruti|date=24 November 2017|title=Sweet Treat: West Bengal Makes World's Biggest Rasgulla to Celebrate GI Tag for 'Banglar Rosogolla'|url=https://www.india.com/viral/west-bengal-makes-worlds-biggest-rasgulla-to-celebrate-gi-for-banglar-rosogolla-2670637/|access-date=24 August 2021|website=India News, Breaking News {{!}} India.com|language=en}}</ref> To celebrate the 150th anniversary of rosogolla's invention, the government of West Bengal had also organised a three-day grand ‘Rosogolla festival’ from 28 December 2018 to 30 December 2018.

== Preparation ==
To prepare rasgulla, the cheese (chhena) mixture is formed into small balls. These balls are then simmered in a sugar syrup.<ref>{{cite book |author=Lois Sinaiko Webb |title=Multicultural Cookbook of Life-cycle Celebrations |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CdLuaG_3LowC&pg=PA309 |date=1 January 2000 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-57356-290-4 |pages=309–}}</ref> It can also be prepared using a [[pressure cooker]]<ref>{{cite book |author=Tarla Dalal |title=Desserts Under Ten Minutes |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BvBzBQAAQBAJ&pg=PT69 |date=17 November 2003 |publisher=Sanjay & Co |isbn=978-81-86469-84-2 |pages=69–}}</ref> or an [[oven]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Low Calorie Sweets |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CfFwnkCqCigC&pg=PA42 |author=Tarla Dalal |year=2006 |publisher=Sanjay & Co |isbn=978-81-89491-34-5 |pages=42–}}</ref> While serving, a drop of rose water (only organic and edible type of rose water, not rose perfume or synthetic flavours) can be added.

<gallery mode="packed">
File:Divided Chhena - Rasgulla Preparation - Digha - East Midnapore - 2015-05-02 9556.JPG | Chhena divided into balls
File:Boiling Rasgulla - Digha - East Midnapore - 2015-05-02 9561.JPG | Chenna balls being boiled
File:Gopal Maishal - Rasgulla Preparation - Digha - East Midnapore - 2015-05-02 9579.JPG | Rasgulla being taken out of the syrup
</gallery>

== Variations ==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Rasgulla - Kolkata 2011-08-02 4547.JPG|Rasgullas from Kolkata, India
File:Red color rasagola from Pahala, Khurda district, Odisha, India.jpg| Reddish rasgullas from Pahala (located between the cities of [[Bhubaneswar]] and [[Cuttack]]), Odisha<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Rimli Sengupta |date=9 January 2012 |title=Kling Canoes At Tamralipta |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/kling-canoes-at-tamralipta/279393 |magazine=Outlook |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160918175716/https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/kling-canoes-at-tamralipta/279393 |archive-date=18 September 2016 |access-date=23 July 2024}}</ref>
File:Bikalkar rasagola.gif| [[Bikalananda Kar|Bikali Kar]] Rasagola from Salepur, Cuttack, Odisha
File:Rasagola Odia cuisine.jpg| Rasagola from Bhubaneswar, Odisha
File:The famous Indian syrupy dessert Rasgulla, from West Bengal.jpg|Sponge Rasgulla within a container
File:Bengali orange rasgulla.jpg| ''Kamalabhog'', an orange-flavoured Bengali rasgulla
File:Baked Rasgulla.JPG|Baked rasgulla – a Bengali variation
File:Ishwar Rasogola.JPG|Rasagola from Kalahandi, Odisha
File:চমচম.jpg|Rasgulla and [[gulab jamun]]
</gallery>

=== Derivatives and similar desserts ===
Along with [[chhena gaja]] and [[chhena poda]], rasgulla is one of three traditional [[Odia cuisine|Odia]] chhena desserts. Due to rasgulla becoming associated with [[Bengali cuisine]], the Odisha Milk Federation has tried to popularise chhena poda as the signature Odia dessert.<ref>{{cite news | author = Rajaram Satapathy | date = 15 August 2002 | title = Sweet wars: Chhenapoda Vs rasagolla | url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Sweet-wars-Chhenapoda-Vs-rasagolla/articleshow/19188687.cms | newspaper = The Times of India }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | date = 11 April 2009 | title = Chew on This: Chenna poda | url = http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/04/11/stories/2009041153080500.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090416015241/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/04/11/stories/2009041153080500.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = 16 April 2009 | work = [[The Hindu]] | department = Metro Plus Kochi }}</ref>

== Nutrition ==
Typically, a 100-gram serving of rasgulla contains 186 calories, out of which about 153 calories come from carbohydrates. It also contains about 1.85&nbsp;grams of fat and 4&nbsp;grams of protein.<ref name = "nutrit">[http://www.livestrong.com/article/49345-nutrition-information-rasgulla/ Nutrition Information For Rasgulla]. Livestrong.Com. Retrieved on 6 December 2012.</ref>

== Geographical indication (GI) tag ==
In 2015, West Bengal applied for a [[Geographical Indication]] (GI) status for "Banglar Rasogolla" (Bengali Rasgulla). The Government clarified that there was no conflict with Odisha, and its application was only for a specific variant which was different in "both in colour, texture, taste, juice content and method of manufacturing" from the variant produced in Odisha.<ref name="NDTV_claim_2016">{{cite news |title=Our Claim Only On A Variety Of Rasogolla, No Dispute With Odisha: West Bengal |url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/our-claim-only-on-a-variety-of-rasogolla-no-dispute-with-odisha-bengal-1436883 |access-date=24 August 2016 |agency=[[Press Trust Of India]] |publisher=[[NDTV]] |date=27 July 2016 }}</ref> On 14 November 2017, the [[List of Geographical Indications in India|GI Registry of India]] granted West Bengal the GI status for Banglar Rasogolla.<ref name="NIE_2017">{{cite news |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2017/nov/14/sweet-war-this-gi-tag-is-for-banglar-rosogolla-it-is-not-about-the-origin-1700787.html |title=Sweet War: This GI tag is for Banglar Rosogolla, it is not about the origin |date=14 November 2017 |newspaper=The New Indian Express }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ipindiaservices.gov.in/GirPublic/ViewApplicationDetails.aspx?AppNo=533&index=0&pIndex=0&status=1|title=Intellectual Property India|website=ipindiaservices.gov.in|language=en|access-date=15 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ipindiaservices.gov.in/GI_DOC/533/533%20-%20Certificate%20of%20Registration%20-%2014-11-2017.pdf|title=Certificate of Registration of Geographical Indication under section 16 (1)-or of authorised user under section 17(3)(e)|date=14 November 2017|website=Intellectual Property India|access-date=15 November 2017}}</ref>

The GI Registrar office at [[Chennai]] later specifically clarified that West Bengal was given GI status only for the Bengali version of Rasgulla ("Banglar Rasogolla"), not for the sweet's origin. The office also stated that Odisha had not by then applied for any GI tag, but it could also get Odisha Rasgulla's GI tag by presenting the necessary evidence.<ref name="NIE_2017" />

In 2018 Odisha applied for GI status in Chennai GI Registry.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/trends/odisha-rasagola-receives-gi-tag-two-years-after-west-bengal/story/368775.html|title=Odisha Rasagola receives geographical indication tag; here's what it means|magazine=Business Today|access-date=29 July 2019}}</ref> On 29 July 2019, the GI Registry of India granted Odisha the GI status for "Odisha Rasagola", which is the Odia version of Rasgulla.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

== See also ==
* [[Bangladeshi cuisine]]
* [[Bengali cuisine]]
* [[Dharwad pedha]]
* [[List of Indian sweets and desserts]]
* [[Mysore pak]]
* [[Odia cuisine]]
* [[West Bengal Cuisine]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}
{{clear}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{India topics}}
{{Cuisine of India}}
{{Indian Dishes}}
{{West Bengal}}
{{Culture of West Bengal}}
{{Bengali cuisine}}
{{Cheese dishes}}
{{Geographical indications in West Bengal}}

[[Category:Bangladeshi cuisine]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi desserts]]
[[Category:Bengali cuisine]]
[[Category:Bengali desserts]]
[[Category:Cheese desserts]]
[[Category:Geographical indications in Odisha]]
[[Category:Geographical indications in West Bengal]]
[[Category:Indian cheese dishes]]
[[Category:Indian cuisine]]
[[Category:Indian desserts]]
[[Category:Indo-Caribbean cuisine]]
[[Category:Mauritian cuisine]]
[[Category:Nepalese cuisine]]
[[Category:Odia cuisine]]
[[Category:Semolina dishes]]
[[Category:Sweets of West Bengal]]
[[Category:Vegetarian dishes of India]]
[[Category:West Bengal cuisine]]