Bela Pana-Pana sankarati

Bela Pana is famous traditional drink in Odisha.. Mostly prepared at time of Pana sankaranti. 




 Bela pana means Aegle marmelos juice..  Bela Pana is mad from Aegle Marcelia. It's mostly used in occasion of pana sankaranti.

 Pana is often served as Prasad to Lord Jagannath during a local festival, called Pana Sankranti, which falls on 14th April. It is observed by the Hindu community, and also by the Buddhists residing in Odisha. The occasion is celebrated to mark the birthday of Lord Hanuman. People are also seen offering prayers at the Devi temples. Pana Sankranti is also called ‘Vishuva Sankranti’. The Odias celebrate the occasion as the Odia New Year day.

Pana Sankranti also known as Maha Vishuba Sankranti is the traditional new year day festival of Odias in Odisha, India. The festival occurs in the solar Odia calendar (regional variant of the lunisolar Hindu calendar in Odisha) on the first day of the traditional solar month of Meṣa, hence equivalent lunar month Baisakha. This falls on the Purnimanta system of lunar month Baisakha on the Indian national system.


Bela pana  is a drink made from bael (Aegle marmelos) fruit pulp. It is used on the festive occasion of Pana Sankranti (Odia new year) during the month of Boishakh, in Odisha, India.



Ingredients


1.Ripe bael

2.curd

3.black pepper

4.chhena

5.1/4 cup banana peeled and cut into tiny pieces

6.1/2 cup honey or Jaggery 

7. 1/2 cup yogurt 

8.2 cardamom 

9.a handful of cashews ground separately, 

10.fistful of fresh grated coconut.

Methods

1.Break the bela and extract all the pulps to a bowl by using spoon. 

2.Mix some water to these extracted plus. mix properly by using your hand. 

3.Now by using a strainer. Strain all the seeds and unnecessary things. 

4.keep only fruit pulps

5.Now add banana, coconut, chenna ,Sugar, curd, honey, yogurt and cardamom add water

6.Mix properly till sugar dissolves 

7.Serve chil bela pana with cashews.. 


Is Bela Pana Good for Health? 

Bela Pana is good for health and it's use to cure Many problems. It is an antidote for sunstroke and a must in Odia New Year. It is also used for stomach problems.

Other Flavors of Pana

mango flavored panna, or ‘Amba Pana’ is prepared out of the scooped pulp of boiled green mango, It is then mashed and processed through the strainer. Sugar, salt, and black salt are then mixed with the pulp. The entire mixture is liquefied with water. For seasoning and elevating the flavor, roasted cumin powdered along with some mint paste is added.

Chenna Pana is said to be very dear to Lord Jagannatha. It is specially prepared to mark the Odia New Year, which is celebrated during the 14th day of April every year. It is offered as a bhog to Lord Jagannath during the Pana Sankranti. The ‘chenna’, which is the cottage cheese, is mashed along with the bananas and milk. A light pinch of cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, black pepper, and ginger is added as per the taste and served chilled.

Torani is a cool drink, which is the fermented water, or the stale water of the boiled rice. Usually, every Odia consumes Pakhala Bhata regularly, which is prepared in Odia household in summer. It is a lavish concoction of water, curd, boiled rice stirred together with some herbs and spices added on to it. The leftover water is consumed the next day as a drink.

In several parts of India, Lassi is consumed widely in the summers. In Odisha, ‘Ghola Dahi‘or ‘Chalha’, as it is called locally is an important beverage to quench the thirst during a hot day. Thick curd is stirred with water. Salt or sugar is added for a better feel. It is served to the guests with a pinch of mint leaves to make it tangy.

In the tribal areas of Odisha, a beverage called Mandia Peja is a rejuvenating drink that is preferred during hot summers. It is a wholesome soup that is prepared with ragi powder and the stale water of boiled rice. For the tribal people who find it difficult to survive the boiling heat, this drink plays a big role in bolstering the energy level.
The drink is convenient when it comes to preparation. Ragi powder is mixed with the stale liquid or the leftover water that had earlier been used in boiling the rice. It is later stored in a covered container for a few days to give a little sour taste.


A special type of panna is prepared in Western Odisha called ‘Jharapanna.’ It is made out of palua (arrowroot) a kind of root used for its medicinal property and soothing effect on stomach. It is mixed with curd or buttermilk, and widely consumed in hot summer. The preparation of this drink is time taking as compared to the other drinks.

The palua is soaked with a glass of water in a bowl, and is left undisturbed for around 20 minutes. The water then has to be drained, leaving behind the sediment. The sedimented palua is then cooked on a low flame, with half a glass of water added to it. It is slowly stirred, until a thick transparent paste is formed. The paste is then strained through a bhujiya mould, as it begins to drop like strands of noodles. Added with beaten curd, sugar or salt, and spices, the drink is then served chilled.

In coastal parts of Odisha such as Puri, humidity aggravates the discomfort among the locals. Coconut water is a favorite drink to combat heat, as coconuts are available plentifully in these areas.