Natore expects GI status for its renowned Kachagolla

Kachagolla, a sweetmeat enmeshed with the history of Natore, is bidding to obtain Geographical Indication (GI) status.

The district administration took the initiative to register this famous traditional delicacy.

Natore District Commissioner Shamim Ahmed told The Business Post that the district administration has sent the application for registration to the concerned department as part of their initiative to list Kachagolla as a GI product.

Besides, the application process has been sent to the Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (DPDT) of the Ministry of Industry through an affidavit. The e-Commerce Development Centre (EDC) of Natore has assisted in that work.

Regarding Kachagolla becoming Natore’s GI product, Masoura Begum Kakali, a teacher at Dighapatia Uttara School of Sadar upazila said that Kachagolla is laced together with the history and tradition of the district. The locals are over the moon about this becoming a GI product.

Naeem Uddin, honours student of Dighapatia MK Degree College, said Kachagolla is the perfect item to become the geographical indicator associated with the district.

Jahanara Beauty, a human rights activist from Natore, said the locals have made the demand to make Kachagolla a GI product of Natore for a long while now.

“The name has been selected to respect the lives and claims of all the people of Natore. I thank everyone involved in the process for taking such a decision,” she added.

According to Natore press club president Faraji Ahmed, Rafiq Babon, former president Jalal Uddin, Ronen Roy and general secretary Bappi Lahiri, they had repeatedly asked to register Kachagolla as a GI product at the district administration meeting.

Natore’s Deputy Commissioner Shamim Ahmed said, “Kachagolla has become a nationally recognised sweet due to its unique taste that the confectioners have preserved over time. We hope that Natore Kachagolla will get the status of the GI product soon.”

He also expressed hope that besides preserving the history and heritage of Natore through GI registration, the demand for Kachhagolla will increase both domestically and internationally.

History of Natore’s Kachagolla

There is an interesting history behind the creation of the traditional Kachagolla of Natore, which is famous both domestically and internationally. According to local lore, Kachagolla was first made around 1760, during the rule of Rani Bhabani who was fond of sweet desserts.

Madhusudan Pal, a confectioner from Lalbazar in the city, regularly supplied sweets to the palace. One day all the employees of Madhusudan's business establishment were absent.

Incidentally, about two tonnes of curdled milk were collected in the shop for making sweets. Thinking that the curdled milk would spoil, Madhusudan mixed sugar with it and kept heating them. He realised the mixture tasted great after having a taste.

The confectioner got the idea to send the sweet curdled milk to the palace. Rani Bhabani appreciated the new sweet and asked for its name. Madhusudan gave it the name Kachagolla as it was made from raw (kacha) curdled milk.

Gradually the fame of Kachagolla spread far and wide as a unique sweetmeat of Natore. The sweet is intertwined with the rich history of the district and has survived the passage of time with the passion and love of the people of the district.

Although it was first made about 250 years ago, the reputation of this sweet is still maintained by the confectioners of Natore. Kachagolla is a must-have on any special occasion for the locals.

Even in today's independent sovereign Bangladesh, from the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has complemented the taste of Kachagolla.

Even the travellers who come to visit Natore do not miss tasting the sweet. Other than the history and emotion attached to the sweet, it is also a huge part of the district’s economy.

Kachagolla in Natore’s economy

According to related sources, over Tk 2.5 lakh worth of Kachagolla is sold in the district every day. Confectioners of the district also send the sweet to different parts of the country.

Rabindranath Kundu, the owner of the confectionery store near Jaykalibari in Natore, said that they start making and selling sweets from 7:30am to late at night every day.

“Currently, the price of Kachagolla is Tk 350 per kg. I have 10-12 people employees in my shop. On average, I sell about 7-12 kg of Kachagolla per day,” he added.

Nazrul Islam, the owner of the hotel and sweet store in front of Dighapatia Uttara Ganobhaban in Sadar upazila, said that every shop in the district sells an average of 5-7 kg of Kachagolla per day. Over Tk 2.5 lakh worth of Kachagolla is sold in the district per day.