Every Odia has grown up hearing the very popular saying “12 Maasa re 13 Paraba”, meaning Odias celebrate thirteen festivals in twelve months. However, I think the saying deserves a tweak. If we go according to the culinary traditions of Odisha during festivals, the quote would be “12 Maasa re 13 prakara Pitha”. Quite obviously, the quote means Odias relish thirteen varieties of Pithas (a traditional dish made with rice and urad dal batter) in twelve months. As an Odia, I remember eating pithas every single month. Be it a festive occasion or a comforting weekend breakfast, pithas are a quintessential part of almost every course in a typical Odia household.
My Odia heart always waits for the most celebrated and loved festivals of Odisha- Raja. Raja brings with it a lot of fun, fervour and excitement that keeps me going for the entire year. However, the most awaited thing during Raja is the delicious Poda Pitha. The caramelized exterior, oodles of coconut, dry fruits and the essence of cardamom are enough to make a foodie drool. The batter is first cooked on low heat till it becomes doughy and then wrapped in sal leaves and baked till the top is dark brown.
While Raja is my favourite festival, my sister eagerly waits for Prathamashtami. Although the festival is not meant for her as she’s the younger one in the house (Prathamashtami is celebrated for the long life of the eldest child of the house), her excitement is the result of her wait to relish the aromatic Enduri Pitha. Exclusively made during Prathamashtami, Enduri Pitha is cooked by wrapping the batter in fresh turmeric leaves with a filling of a coconut and jaggery mixture.
However, there are some pithas that my mom doesn’t make at home, blame it on the time and effort these pithas demand. One of these pithas is called Saptapuri. As the name suggests, the pitha has seven layers of thin crepes filled with coconut and jaggery mixture. Due to the time and effort it requires, the pitha is exclusively made on Saptapuri Amavasya and offered to Lord Jagannath. The next one is Chunchi Patra Pitha. The highly intricate and delicate dish is made without a ladle and is lip-smackingly delicious.
Be it any time of the day, one is sure to find some common pithas in my house. My family savours a Chakuli Pitha breakfast at least once a week. The simplest pitha made with rice and urad dal batter is common in most Odia households and is savoured with some typical Indian curries and chutneys. One will surely find a big dabba full of Arisha Pitha in most Odia households. This pitha is made with rice flour and jaggery batter and is deep-fried. One can definitely say that Arisha Pitha is the eastern cousin of the South Indian Adhirasam. Some other most common pithas in Odia households are Manda and Kakera which are made quite frequently. Manda is made with a rice flour mixture and Kakera with semolina. Both these delicacies are usually filled with a coconut and jaggery mixture.
Although there are many other varieties of pithas to savour in Odisha, we leave them for you to explore yourself. So, the next time you visit Odisha or meet an Odia, don’t shy away from trying out the delicious varieties of pithas. I am sure you’ll be gobsmacked for a good reason.