Bardhaman Mihidana & Sitabhog:- Bengal’s sweetest illusion
What is Bardhaman Mihidana?
Bardhman Mihidana is very fine sweet boondi made from mixture of Rice flour & Besan which is deep fried & soaked in sugar syrup flavoured with saffron & cardamom. It is very popular & delicate sweets from Bardhaman district of Bengal. Bardhman Mihidana is considered as a micro cousin of Traditional booni. The word Mihidana consist of two words- Mihi & Dana. “Mihi” means very fine & Dana means grains, that means very fine grains.
- Traditionally it is prepared from Govindabhog or Kaminibhog Rice flour mixed with small amount of Besan (Gram flour) & saffron. The batter is then poured through a fine mesh poni(ladle) directly into the hot oil for deep frying and then soaked in sugar syrup. It has soft texture and very delicious.
Characteristic of Bardhaman Mihidana:-
Bardhaman Mihidana is a golden yellow color fine sweet boondi made from batter of bengal gram flour (Besan) & two different variety of powdered Rice namely Gobindobhog Rice & Kaminibhog Rice. It is the finer version of Traditional Boondi sweets.
- The basic ingredients are:- Besan (1kg), Gobindobhog Rice & Kaminibhog Rice flour(01 kg) , Ghee , Sugar, saffron & Bay leaves.
- Its granules are light, non sticky and melt in mouth quickly.
What is Bardhaman Sitabhog?
Bardhaman Sitabhog is a traditional Bengali sweet from Bardhman district of Bengal. It is a unique sweet dishes comprising of sweeten Rice vermicelli(sewai) combined with small size gulab Jamun. In other word, it is a sweet rice pulao contains small size gulab jamun. The small size gulab Jamun is locally known as “Nikhuti” or mini gulab jamun.
https://v2.india.gov.in/mr/explore-india/odop/details/bardhaman-sitabhog-mihidana
- The Rice vermicelli is made with mixture of Chenna & Rice flour ,rolled into smooth dough using desi ghee in a ration of 1:4 porportion. The dough is then passed though a fine mesh to make a fine rice vermicelli or sewai and then deep fried in ghee and soaked in sugar syrup to sweeten it.
- The Authentic Bardhaman Sitabhog can be best found at historic shops like those run by the Nag family in Bardhman.
Characteristic of Bardhaman Sitabhog:-
- Bardhawan Sitabhog is a renowned traditional Bengali Mithai from Bardhaman district of West Bengal consisting of sweeten Rice vermicelli (Rice Sewai) served with mini Gulab Jamun.
- It is prepared by traditional method where Govindbhog rice flour is mixed with chenna & desi ghee to make a smooth dough and then it is passed through a sieve or sev mould to make Rice vermicelli or tiny chenna thread and then it is deep fried in desi ghee untill cook properly and then soaked in saffron flavor sugar syrup. It is then mixed or garnish with mini gulab jamun to enhance its appearance and taste.
- The authentic receipe of Bardhawan Sitabhog is :- 01 kg govindbhog rice flour & 01 kg of Chenna mix with 50-55 gms of desi ghee ( Ration :- 4 part rice flour & chenna :1 part ghee).
- Bardhaman Sitabhog often gives the appearance of sweet Pulao with mini gulab Jamun.
Brief History of Bardhaman Sitabhog & Mihidana:-
The name Burdman or Bardhaman is well connected with two sweets i.e Bardhaman Mihidana & Bardhaman Sitabhog. It is the recognization of this small town of West Bengal since British Rule in India.
According to the Geographical indication registry website (Refer 525 – GI – Reply to ER – Statement of Case – 17-02-2016 of Bardhaman Sitabhog)
Bardhaman Sitabhog & Bardhaman Mihidana was prepared around 1904 by a famous local halwai namely Sh. Bhairab Singh Nag on request from Sh. Vijay chand Mehtab, the then Maharaja of Burdhawan, West Bengal to impress the British Viceroy “Lord Curzon” who came to Burdhaman on 19th August 1904 to inaugrate the Curzon Gate on occasion of coronation of Maharaja to Sh Vijay Chand Mehtab from Zamindar of Bardhaman.
- British Viceroy Lord Curzon was so impresed to have such a uniqe sweets in his official Lunch and praised and thanked to Sh. Vijay chand Mehtab,Maharaja of Burdhawan saying that he never had such sweet ever before. Thereafter the popularity of this two sweets spread all over the country & abroad.
- After eating this unique Mithai, Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy of India, made mandatory for both the sweets (mithai) to be served in his all officials Meal.
- During the All India Congress samelan (All India Congree party meeting in Durgapur in 1965) held in Durgapur, this two renewoned sweets were served to former Prime Minister of India “Sh Lal Bahadur Shastri” who also very impresed upon eating it.
- At present “Vairab Mistanna Bhandar named Udayan” in borobazar of Burdman is the famous shop run by the Grand son of Late Bhairab Singh Nag.
Geographical Indicaiton Tag
Bardhaman Sitabhog & Mihidana was awarded the GI Tag on 29th April 2017 having GI Indication No- 525(Sitabhog) & 526(Mihidana). The renewal of the GI Tag of Bardhaman Sitabhog sweet upon completion of 10 year of its validity has been filled to the GI Registry office dated 19th June 2025.
The application for granting GI Tag was filed by Bardhaman Sitabhog & Mihidana Traders welfare associations & District industrial centre, Bardhaman jointly to the GI Registration office under class 30 in respect of Food stuff.
APEDA initiated the export to Bahrain
The APEDA(Agricultural & processed food products exports development Authority) has initiated the export of this famous GI Tag sweets of Bardhaman to Kingdom of Bahrain.
Content Reference & disclaimer:-
The above content has been compiled after referring GI tag website, West bengal Govt websites, various culinary website, news articiles, social medical platform, APEDA website, Journal and personal interaction with several halwai from Bengal as well as many chefs from various hotel brands like The Ashok Group of hotel, ITC, Oberai, Leela, Park Hotels & various IHM Faculties etc. The picture which i have used has been taken from the open source website. The main purpose of my blog is to educate the students who are pursuing their carier in hotel industry & food industry as well as to spread awareness amoung people about indian food. Some of the important website referred for the above content are:-
- https://dstbt.bangla.gov.in/news_notification/GI%20West%20Bengal.pdf
- https://gimsme.wb.gov.in/gi_product/products
- https://mkp.gem.gov.in/odop-west-bengal-paschim-bardhaman-sitabhog-mihidana-from-purba-bardhaman-odop
- https://www.search.ipindia.gov.in/GIRPublic/Application/Details/526
- https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/gi-tag-planned-for-four-bengali-sweets/article8269133.ece
- https://aitcofficial.org/gi-tags-for-sitabhog-mihidana/
- https://thelegalschool.in/blog/gi-tag-west-bengal
- https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1761053
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/mihidana-sitabhog-win-sweet-glory-with-geographical-indication-tag/articleshow/56903182.cms
- https://www.origin-gi.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/526-bardhaman-mihidana.pdf
- https://v2.india.gov.in/mr/explore-india/odop/details/bardhaman-sitabhog-mihidana
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSZOZEXjQME
- https://moha-mushkil.com/sitabhog-mihidana-burdwan-sweets-of-bengal/
- https://tictoinfra.com/blog/other/burdwan-famous-sweets-sitabhog-mihidana-the-pride-of-bardhaman
- https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/news/journey-of-mihidana-with-gi-tag-from-burdwan-to-bahrain/cid/1832674
- https://sahasa.in/2021/01/06/bardhaman-sitabhog-of-west-bengal/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94zAcYUrJYk
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YweMLgtSUHc
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tnBv_srUB8
- https://www.slurrp.com/article/sitabhog-mihidana-the-bardhaman-dessert-duo-that-impressed-lord-curzon-1635248895434
