Odisha has bagged the much-awaited Geographical Indication tag for the popular dessert - the Rasagola.
On 29th July, the Registrar of Geographical Indications issued a certificate registering the confectionary as 'Odisha Rasagola'... officially recognising the product as distinctive to the state.
The move comes a year after West Bengal got the GI tag for its popular Banglar Rasogolla. For several years, both states waged a bitter battle over the origin of the delicacy.
West Bengal claimed the rasogolla came from the state’s Nadia district. It was appreciated as being a treasure of Bengal by Rakhaldas Adhikari in his poem Rasikata in 1896.
While Odisha asserted that the reference of rasagola was found in the late 15th century, Odia Ramayana written by Balaram Das.
Now, both states have been given the GI tag for their respective variants of the sweet, recognising two distinct varieties in taste and texture.
In this episode of IN DEPTH, we tell you what a geographical indication tag means...on what basis is the tag given, some important products that have been officially recognised by Geographical Indications and some others that are in the race to get recognition. Besides, we'll also talk about the differences between GI status and trademark.
Anchor: Teena Jha
