Type of Ritual Food in Odisha: A Case Study of Eastern Odisha

This paper attempts to understand the importance, situations and context in food consumption focusing on the rituals and traditions. Odisha, a state in the eastern part of India, being famous for fair and festivals shows a variety of food items that are associated with various rituals either religious or secular. The ritual foods are mainly made from the ingredients that are locally available or most popular in Odisha. A deep understanding of the ritual foods of Odisha can show its continuity with the past and reflect cultural ideas about eating for good health, nutrition and many more. These traditional food items and their making procedures are vanishing or modernizing due to the introduction of new food items, ingredients and Western food. Hence the present study has tried to document and describe the various types of ritual food in Eastern Odisha, the ingredients used and the way of preparation.