Bhogi Habba is celebrated a day before Sankranthi. Celebrated in honour of Lord Indra, the God of Rain, the festival is an expression of gratitude for abundance and prosperity. An important harvest festival, people come together for all domestic activity signifying unity and harmony.
On this day, the newly harvested rice, groundnuts, sesame seeds, sugarcane, hyacinth beans, and yellow pumpkins are offered to the Lord. All these items signify a good harvest.
Bhogi holds special importance in my life. As far as I remember, during my childhood days, both my parents would, together, prepare a special dish called “Gijji Bhaji”.
It’s a dish where we add all kinds of green leaves like spinach, methi, amaranth, mountain spinach, and drumstick leaves. These leaves are thoroughly soaked, drained off all water and then cooked with the right quantity of toor dal.
Along with green leaves, boiled pulses like kidney beans, green peas, hyacinth beans, and groundnuts are added. Boiled vegetables like yellow pumpkin, carrot beans and pieces of sugarcane also goes into the green mixture. To make it tangy and spicy we add a paste of green chillies,garam masala and tamarind pulp. When all these ingredients are mixed well with the right amount of salt, we add a tadka to it.
Served hot with bajra rotis (pearl millets), it was high in nutrition. This dish was a must-have during Sankranti.
Bhogi Habba reminds me of my father. The scenes of my father helping out my mother in the kitchen still linger in my mind making the dish so special. The happiness on my father’s face as he worked on the preparation remains with me.
Well, this year it’s hard for me as I lost my dear father in the second wave of Covid. All that remains are his memories.
On Sankranti, I plan to prepare this dish in loving memory of my father.
It gives me immense pride that it was he who taught me this highly nutritional; dish and I continue to make it the way he used to make it. I know for sure that I will surely pass on this delicacy to my daughter.
Dear Father, I am happy to serve this dish to my family on this special day. You will be always remembered by us!
Your loving daughter,
One Response
Truly a super nutritious dish. Relishing it with jowar, bajra and rice rotis laced with ghee is heavenly. It was his favourite. In fond remembrance of my loving dad. Happy bhogi festival