Come March 20 every year, Odias across the globe celebrate the popular traditional Odia dish pakhala the fermented water rice. Started as an online campaign,Pakhala Divasemerged as a mass festival with a series ofpakhalaparties and feasts being planned.
The quintessential Odia dish of pakhala is savoured with a platter of vegetarian and non-veg side dishes. Hotels and restaurants across the state geared up for the day, notwithstanding the cloudy weather this year.
According to Health experts, pakhala is probiotic rich due to the presence of lactic acid and helps in digestion, gut-friendly and improves body immunity. After Fermentation the rice becomes rich in nutrients like iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.