Gohona Bori: The History & Lineage Of A West Bengal Sun-Dried Edible Art Form

Bengal’s heritage edible ornament, Gohona Bori, is part of a food culture that originates from the East Midnapore district, where the sunny climate allows this edible art to dry. Gohona Bori (Gohona meaning ‘jewellery’ in Bengali) is a savoury lentil snack typically made from black urad dal, which is first dried on a thin bed of poppy seeds and then sun-dried before being stored for several days until it's hard and crispy. While boris can also be made with various lentils and vegetables, Gohona Bori is most commonly made with urad dal. 

The preparation of gohona bori, unlike most Indian sun-dried food-making traditions, is a winter activity. It is regarded as a sacred ritual, during which the women of the region awaken early, bathe, don fresh clothes, and perform a puja before commencing the process of making the boris. The overnight-soaked and husked urad dal is ground using a shilnora or a mortar and pestle. Through laborious rounds of grinding the lentils, a soft pasty batter is achieved. The batter is then whisked by hand until fluffy — the heat from the hands is an essential ingredient in the making of gohona boris. The batter is piped onto a muslin cloth to sun-dry. It takes around two days for the boris to dry and be ready for storage. The patterns and motifs on gohona boris are often inspired by Bengali jewellery designs, such as paisleys and Bengali mukuts or tiaras. Once the boris have dried, they are stored in airtight containers and fried in mustard oil just before consumption.

What brought gohona bori to the homes of the rest of West Bengal was Rabindranath Tagore’s appreciation of the edible art when he received gohona boris from a student, Seba Maity, at Shantiniketan. He was so impressed by the intricate artwork that he had them photographed to be displayed at Kala Bhavana, the art institute at Visva-Bharati University. 

A significant aspect of this culinary tradition stems from its operation on a smaller scale. The fine skill set and knowledge passed down through generations are prerequisites for making gohona bori. In the East Midnapore district, as well as other parts of West Bengal, despite urad dal being a staple for the less affluent, gohona bori is reserved for special occasions in many households, such as a son-in-law’s first visit to the bride’s family home or during festivals. It is often tradition for mothers to pack boxes of gohona bori for brides to take to their groom’s house. For many Bengalis, gohona bori, or naksha bori, is not merely a culinary tradition that accompanies special occasions; rather, it is an essential part of the cultural legacies they grew up with in their homes. 

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