Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore’s poetry and writings have impacted India and the world for generations but not many know about the bard’s gastronomic side.
As homage to the literary giant on his 156th birth anniversary, a special platter themed on the cuisine which was the hallmark of the Tagore household or “Thakurbari” is set to debut here on Sunday.
A select few recipes sourced from the book, Amish O Niramish Randhan (Non-vegetarian and Vegetarian Food) by Prajnasundari Devi, a niece of Tagore, published in 1900, are being showcased at a three-day festival “Janmadiner Khaowadawa” (Birthday Feast) at the Nalban Food Park. The event was inaugurated yesterday, the polymath’s 156th birth anniversary.
“We will showcase a few recipes from the book during the festival. Once it is over, we will carry it forward with a full-fledged ‘Thakurbarir Thaali’ from Sunday,” Soumyajit Das, managing director of West Bengal State Fisheries Development Corporation Ltd, said.
It was Das’s idea to showcase the heritage of Thakurbari cuisine, a mix of East Bengal (now Bangladesh) and West Bengal as also the pronounced Western influence.
The Tagore family, with over 300 years of history, has been one of the leading families of Kolkata and played a key role during the Bengal Renaissance.
Bhetki pudding, yogurt infused with basil and rose petals and prawns in mayonnaise – some of Tagore’s favourite dishes – are the highlights of the gourmet gala.
A vendor sells pictures of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore on his 156th birth anniversary at a roadside store in Kolkata yesterday. Tagore won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913.
