Cuttack: Chhadakhai is a well-known Odia festival which comes and is celebrated after the month of Kartika. The day after the full moon is the grand of release from this spiritual taboo and all indulge in non-vegetarian dishes to their heart’s content.
The day marks the end of the holy Kartik Masa and signals the beginning of the winter culinary fiesta.
Chada khai meaning the big feast after the whole one month of conditional food habbits. In this particular day everyone consumes eating non-veg and cooked food is also sent to other houses as a part of the celebration.
Mangsha jhola. Mangsha Kassa. Chingudi Besara. Chingudi Bhaja. Mudhi Ghanta. Poda Mangsha. Machcha fry. Kankada Jhola, the names just go longer. If there is a single day in an Odia life, when one can find the outpouring of “meat love” touching the zenith, it is Chhadakhai.
According to history, the ritual began with the Bali Jatra festivity. As per the old Spice Route records, it is said that it was around the time (mid-November) when the winds changed directions – and the sailors, fishermen and traders get ready to set sail. The farewell of the traders and sailors would be celebrated with a big feast that constituted of the best of fish, crab, prawn and even meat in the coastal areas of Odisha. Incidentally, the day fell around mid-November, a time when the meat was better and the fish would move towards the coast. That period today is marked by Chhadakhai. Since then, many historians believe, the tradition of Chhadakhai began – not only as a festival of indulgence, but also as a mark the beginning of winters – sheeta rutu.
