Bhubaneswar, March 20 -- From the platter of Odisha's culinary excellence, 'Pakhala' holds a special place in the hearts of every Odia. This humble combination of rice water and curd is a staple in almost every Odia household, particularly in summer.

The sacred place of Pakhala in Odia food habits can easily be ascertained from the fact that not only the mortals, but Pakhala has always been cherished in the Jagannath faith and is offered to the deities at Puri Srimandir daily.

In a bid to popularise this quintessential native delicacy globally, March 20 is celebrated as International Pakhala Day or 'Pakhala Dibasa' since many years.

Like every year, Odias all around the globe on Monday spent little time expressing their pride in enjoyi...