“Oh day after tomorrow is Arandhan, I need to cook tomorrow for the occasion”, says my mother every 2-3 times a year while reading her Oriya and Bengali calendars at home.
But you ask what’s Arandhan? You all may have heard about the story of Lord Krishna and the Kaliya Nag, its related to that. So when the people of Vrindavan went near the river Yamuna to witness Lord Krishna’s Kaliya Daman, the food they had cooked at home became 1 day old. Upon returning home they consumed that 1 day old food only. Thats how Arandhan started, the word itself means “A+Randhan”, meaning no cooking. Its an occasion celebrated in Eastern India every 2-3 times a year; food is cooked a day before, to be consumed on the day of Arandhan.
But what is Panta Bhat then? No occasion of Arandhan is complete without Panta Bhat. Panta Bhat, Bheja Bhat (in Bengali) or Pokhalo (in Oriya) is a famous rice dish across Eastern India. It is basically cooked rice fermented in water overnight. Due to the fermentation, rice tastes slightly sweet and is mixed with a little bit salt to increase the flavours. It is eaten with green chillies, onions and smashed potatoes traditionally, but during Arandhan, its eaten with various side dishes like Moringa ka Saag, Chana cooked with shredded coconut, Aloo Posto and many more.
The story of Panta Bhat isn’t restricted to Arandhan only, it goes beyond that. During the scorching months of summer when people suffer from dehydration and excessive sweating, this rice dish becomes their ultimate saviour. Since its a water rice dish, the water combined with carbohydrates gives more energy to us, plus its much more higher in iron and calcium than plain cooked rice, which is good for increasing oxygen content in the blood. It is also very easy to make: Just cook rice in the previous night, drain out the cooking liquid and let it ferment on its own. The next day mix it with fresh water and add salt according to your taste and enjoy. There are various types of Panta Bhat too!
As an Asian and Indian, rice has always been an integral part of our lives, whether its plain cooked rice, Pulao, Biriyani, Kheer, Curd rice, Dosa, Idli, Uttappam, or Peethe. But that one unsung hero remains in the shadows of its popular rice counterparts; Panta Bhat. I hope we can celebrate the legacy and importance of Panta Bhat more and more in the coming years.