Maithil cuisine, also known as Mithila cuisine is a part of Nepalese cuisine and Indian cuisine  . It is native cooking style of Maithils residing in Mithila region of Nepal and India. Mithila is famous for its Paan, Maach and Makhaan culture. Here the cuisine is characterised by native ingredients and rustic cooking techniques.

Maithil cuisine comprises a broad repertoire of rice, wheat, fish and meat dishes and the skilled use of various spices, herbs and natural edibles. The cuisine has different recipes for different events, and hence is categorized accordingly, from banquet food, for weddings and parties, festival foods, and travel foods.

SOME AUTHENTIC FOODS OF MITHILA

CHURA DAHI  :-  This healthy and filling breakfast dish consists of flattened rice (chura), curd and granulated sugar.

NAMKEEN MAKHAN  :-  This simple and healthy traditional snack consists of ghee roasted salted foxnuts.

POCHUA  :-  It is  a ghee  fried sweet pancake that is made with rice flour (or whole wheat flour), water, jiggery (or sugar) and fennel seeds based batter.

Makhan khir  :-  This traditional  desert is made with milk, coarsely-pounded ghee roasted foxnuts, sugar and cardamom powder.

BAGIYA  :-   Thia tradional dish treat is a small-sized, somewhat fish-shaped, jiggery and fried pulses stuffed boiled rice cake.

MALPUA  :-  This traditional sweet is made with a maida, fresh grated coconut, sugar, milk and cardamom powder based thick batter, a small amount of which is poured in ghee and fried till it turns golden brown.

MARUA ROTI  :-  It is a thick, griddle-baked flatbread that is made from  a raagi flour (maruwa atta) based dough. As this dough has a crumbly texture, the flatbread is rolled out with hands.

VEGETABLE OF ARIKANCH  :-  It is a tangy and flavourful semi-dry sabzi made with taro (colocasia) leaves based fritters, that are cooked in an onion, ginger, garlic, spices and lime juice based gravy.

ADAURI BAIGAN  :-  It is a tradional curry made with diced brinjals and deep fried adaudi, that are cooked in mustard oil along with bay leaves, tomatoes, turmeric, salt etc. adaudi are small, sun-dried badis made with soaked urad dal paste.

KADI BARI  : -  This savoury, tangy and sweet traditional curry is made with small baris (besan pakodas) that are cooked in besan and aamil (sun dried raw mango pieces) based thin gravy.

OAL CHATNI   :-  It is a savoury and tangy mash made with boiled chunks of oal (elephant foot yam), mustard seeds based mango pickle and salt.

SARSO ROHU MACHH   :-   This spicy and flavourful rohu fish curry is made with deep fried pieces of fish that are cooked in a mustard seed paste based gravy.

TILAURI  :-  These are small and crisp, rice flour or cooked rice based deep fried treats that are usually eaten along with everday meals.

TIKOR PATA K TARUA  :-  This crisp fritter is made with cleaned tilkor leaf that is dipped in a coarsely ground paste of soaked rice and then deep fried in oil till it turns golden brown. (an assortment of taruas are being made with different kinds of vegetables like raw banana, brinjal, potato, pumpkin etc.

AMOTH  :-  This unique, sweet and sour sauce-like thing is made with ripe mango pulp based sun-dried fruit leather, that is soaked in water, then pureed and mixed with some seasonings.

Paan   :- Paan (from Sanskrit parṇá) is a preparation combining betel leaf with areca nut. It is chewed for its stimulant and psychoactive effects.^] After chewing, it is either spat out or swallowed. Paan has many variations. Slaked lime (chuna) paste is commonly added to bind the leaves. Some preparations include katha paste or mukhwas to freshen the breath

Thariya saag

This is leaf vegetable known as "Thariya saag" in maithli.
Leaf vegetables, also called leafy greens.  plant leaves eaten as a vegetable.  Although they come from a very wide variety of plants.
Nearly one thousand species of plants with edible leaves are known. Leaf vegetables most often come from
short-lived herbaceous plants.
Thariya saag is a leaf vegetable dish eaten in  the Nepali subcontinent with bread such as roti, naan or rice (in Nepal, and India).
Thariya saag is common in the state of Madhesh and other regions of nepal.
Thariya saag is known as lal saag in Hindi,  Tanduliah or jalaja in Sanskrit,  cholai in Urdu and edible amaranth

Nutrition
Leaf vegetables are typically low in calories and fat .The leaves are very high in vitamin A and C and are alterative, antibiotic and nutritive tonic. The whole plant is useful in dysentery, fever, nosebleed, ulcer, tuberculosis, piles etc.

Preparation
If leaves are cooked for food, they may be referred to as boiled greens. Leaf vegetables may be stir-fried, stewed, steamed, or consumed raw. Leaf vegetables stewed with pork is a traditional dish in soul food and nepali cuisine. They are also commonly eaten in a variety of South Asian countries. Many green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, can also be eaten raw, for example in sandwiches or salads.

ReferencesEdit

1. ^ "Saag (Indian spiced spinach)". Whats4Eats.com. 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
2. Lokesh Dash. OrissaSpider.com. Archived from the original on 2012-09-15.
3. From Wikipedia

GODNA (a traditional tattoo art of mithila)

NAME             : - RAHIMA KHATUN

AGE                 : -  60  yrs. old

BIRTHPLACE   : - CHAMPURA - BIHAR, INDIA

ADDRESS        : -   NAGARAIN, MUNICIPALITY,                                             WARD-  1, DHANUSHA DIST.

                               Rahima khatun is a tattoo artist of traditional tattoo art known as “GODNA” (burying the needle). She has been into this field for around 40-45 years.  When she was 14 years she got married to unknown person. Due to early marriage she couldn’t continue her study.  After marriage she gotta know about godna, her mother-in-law used to make godna. She also continued the same traditional tattoo art along with her mother-in-law. Rahima had 3 sons and 1 Daughter. She used to roam around the villages, singing and showing the tattooed parts of the body. She always carried the equipment’s of godna in her bag. Since beginning she had no any interest in making godna tattoo and slowly, she developed the skills in her. After that she took over this art from her mother-in-law. At present, Rahima is only one godna tattoo artist in her Area.

GODNA: - Traditional body tattooing is called GODNA in mithilanchal. Body tattooing (GODNA) is believed to be the adaption of the primitive form of art in mithilanchal. This art comprises permanent ornament of the body with tattoo made by Godarins (the person who made godna). The belief says that Godna marks are the only Ornamentation which remains with them after the death. This is very popular art form in mithila among women though some of the men in mithila also have this art on their body. The song is also very famous in Nepal. This song has become a folk music of mithila. These days in deep rural areas one can find this culture but in urban areas traditional godna culture are being vanished, religious significance is losing its meaning and tattooing is used only for body adornment. Godna culture is a system of symbolic communication. Godna is considered as rites of passage. Females used to get godna mark three times in their life. Firstly at the age of 8-10 or before she attains puberty, secondly after puberty and third time when she gets married and get godna mark at their husbands house. It is commonly found that girl should tattoo her body prior to marriage. Body tattooing is related to their belief system health care practice, body decoration, social status, wealth etc. Tattooing in some specific parts of the body has some medicinal value and it is believed that this tattoo helps them to cure from some typical disease.    It is basically found in dom, chamar, Mehter, Bhangi, Lalbegi, das, mushar, teli, Pasi, Dhobi, Nai, Lohar, Maurya, Thakur, Kahar, Kumhar, Baniya, Badhai, Muslim, Kevat, Patel and Yadavs, suri, mandal, etc. The person either male or female who engraves godna on the body called Godanhari.

HISTORY OF GODNA: - There is no actual record to the public which talks about the origin of godna. Historical Evidence of Godna has been found in 200 BCE. Female figure found in bharahut, India had godna in their hand, leg and face. According to Rahima kathun, at the time of war of Hindus and Muslims, the Hindu women are attacked by the preditors, they were being raped also. At that time godna is made to identify the Hindu. If someone had godna in her body then no one tried to touch her.

According to Hindu philosophy, there are two mythical story found related to the origin of godna. Maha Shiva (the father of all god) once invited the gods to a feast. A Gond god (god of Adivasi) also went to enjoy the feast. The Goddess was sitting in a separate group with Parvati. Later the Gond God went there to fetch his wife amongst so many goddess, he could not recognize her. By mistake he puts his hand around Parvati’s shoulder. Shiva knew that it was only a mistake and laughed, but Parvati was very angry. She commanded the Gond (Adivasi) women to wear specific tattooing marks to distinguish themselves from other castes. Since then it is believed and tattooing has become an important customs among the tribes.

Another mythical story found in the region is that Yamaraj (God of death) was confused about the sex of the dead when their spirits went to his kingdom. He desired that his daughter-in-law’s body should be marked with same black stuff so as to distinguish her from others. This was done and she looked extremely attractive. Yamaraj then ordered his daughter-in-law and son to go to the earth in Godanhari attire and roam around the villages singing and showing the tattooed parts of the body to the people. They did as they were commanded and since then godna marks are considered to be a wealth of people that they can take with them even after death. A Myth related to godna is that when a spirit of the dead person appears before the God, it has to solve godna riddle; but if it is fails to solve, the spirit is sent back to the earth for rebirth and could not get salvation.

PROCESS AND MATERIAL

    Godanhari first applied mustard oil on the part of body where she is going to make godna, prepares ink by mixing soot with vidali oil then symbols are etched out on the skin (Palm, arm forearm, legs, chin, forehead foot, temple, neck and area of body where rhumetitis occurs) by pricking with the help of sharp wooden needle or thorn of Babool tree. When blood comes out godanhari spreads ink on the mark. Babool tree is working as an astringent, stimulates the healing and controls the scar formation. This is painful process and girls scream while tattooing. So Godanhari and other ladies sing a song to divert her attention. After tattooing Godanhari applies turmeric (haldi) powder on the motif and gives instruction; not to rub it and sprinkle haldi powder twice for a week. After this process symbol becomes inseparable part of the body. After making Godna, godanhari receives clothes, jaggery, grains and few rupees.

             Godna songs depict the feeling of a female. These songs are symbol of love, purity, affection and reflect the socio-cultural life as well as easing the severity of pain and divert attention. These songs transmitted orally from one generation to other and now on the verge of extinction. One  folk songs have been collected from the field. That was being sung in Maithili language.

उतराही  राज  सँ  जे  एलै  एक  नटिनिया  रे  जान

रे  जान  एलै  एक  नटिनिया  रे  जान

रे  जान  बैसिर  गेलै  कदम  बिरिछिया  रे  जान

रे  जान  बैसिर  गेलै   कदम  बिरिछिया  रे  जान

सिहिर  सिहिर  बहए  लगलै  सितल  बसंतिया  रे  जान

रे  जान  सितल  बसंतिया  रे  जान

रे  जान  घर  सँ  बहरेलै  सुनरी  पुतहुवा  रे  जान 

रे  जान  घर  सँ  बहरेलै  सुनरी  पुतहुवा  रे  जान

झारए  लगलै  सुनरी  अपन  नामी  नामी  केसिया  रे  जान

रे  जान  नामी नामी  केसिया  रे  जान

रे  जान  परिर  गेलै  नटिनके  नजरिया  रे  जान

रे  जान  परिर  गेलै  नटिनके  नजरिया  रे  जान

किया  गेल  किया  भेल  सुनरी  पुतहुवा  रे  जान

रे  जान  सुनरी  पुतहुवा  रे  जान

रे  जान  कोने  सुनर  गोदना  गोदेतै  रे  जान

रे  जान  कोने  सुनर  गोदना  गोदेतै  रे  जान

गोदना  गोदौनी  कि  तोँ  लेबे  गे  नटिनिया  रे  जान

गोदना  गोदौनी  कि  तोँ  लेबे  गे  नटिनिया  रे  जान

रे  जान  कि  तोँ लेब  दान  बक्सिसबा  रे  जान

रे  जान  कि तोँ लेब  दान  बक्सिसबा  रे  जान

गोदना  गोदौनी  लेबै  कान  दुनु  सोनमा रे जान

रे  जान  कान  दुनु  सोनमा  रे  जान

रे  जान  लेबै  रे हमी  गिनती  मोहरबा  रे  जान

रे  जान  लेबै  रे  हमी  गिनती  मोहरबा  रे  जान

MEANING

FROM THE FOR NORTHERN LANDS O’ DEAR

COMES A SLY GYPSY WOMEN

IN THE SHADE OF BURFLOWER TREE O’ DEAR

SHE TAKES A BRIEF RESPITE

COOL APRIL BREEEZE GUSHES INTERMITTENTLY

O’ DEAR, SO THHE WIND BLOWS

OUT OF THE HOUSE O’ DEAR

COMES AT A COMELY MISTRESS

AND THROUGH HER SILKEN, SWART HAIR

SHE SLIPS THE COMB O’ DEAR

AND SO SHE COMBS HER LENGHTHY HAIR,

WHEN  THE GYPSY BEHOLDS THE BEATIFIC MISTRESS

“HOW CONE YOU’RE SO GORGEOUS O’ DEAR ?

HOW DO YOU EXUDE SUCH RADIANCE?

O’ DEAR , SHALL I TATTOO YOU,

ONLY TO EMBELLISH YOUR SEMBLANCE ?”

“O GYPSY WOMAN ! BUT ,

WHAT MUST I PAY YOU IN RETURN O’ DEAR ?

WHAT MUST I PAY IN RETURN? “

“NOTHING BUT YOUR GOLD EARRINGS

AND A FEW CENTS O’ DEAR

JUST YOUR GOLD EARRINGS

AND A FEW CENTS MY DEAR.”

References ;

1. "History". Goodna State School. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 22 March 202

2. Ashok Dutta (writer/journalists) This godna song was written by him.

3. Rahima khatun - Godna Artist

4.Ishan koshla Designs blogs

                                                 

                                                                                                                 Prepared  by

                                                                      Priyanshu kumar karn