Express News Service By

BHUBANESWAR: Amid the raging debate on the origin of ‘Rasgulla’, the State Government on Saturday decided to set up three committees to counter neighbouring West Bengal’s claim over the sweet.

The committees will have members from Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and Culture departments.

The first committee would look into facts and evidence regarding the origin of ‘Rasgulla’ in the State while the second will study on what basis West Bengal is staking its claim. The third committee will collect documentary evidence to validate the State’s claim, Minister of State for Higher Education Pradeep Panigrahi said. The Minister said the committees would submit their reports within a week.

The mouth-watering ‘Rasgulla’ is in controversy over its origin with West Bengal claiming its invention. Most of the food historians in the neighbouring State believe that it was invented in Calcutta city in 1868 by confectioner Nabin Chandra Das, whose son later founded the famous sweetmeat chain KC Das.

However, many believe that ‘Rasgulla’ was invented in the holy city of Puri in the 13th century. Legend has it that Lord Jagannath on Niladri Bije offered ‘Rasgullas’ to appease his consort Laxmi who was upset after the Lord went on the nine-day Rath Yatra without her consent and locked the Jai Vijay Dwar, a gate of the temple.