Berhampur: “Dhanu Muan” (a delicacy made of sweetened rice flakes) of Berhampur continues to rule the roost not only in Odisha but also outside during one month every year starting from Dhanu Sankranti.
Almost all sweetmeat shops on the city of Ganjam district are busy rolling out ‘Dhanu Muan’ of various shapes and sizes which are exported to Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and other states besides being sold online. More than 1000 kg of Muan are sold in Berhampur per day for one month between ‘Dhanu Sankranti’ and ‘Makar Sankranti’ every year.
More than 150 families in Berhampur have been producing such Muan for centuries. In order to prepare Muan, rice flake is stirred in ghee and sugar in a gigantic hot utensil at a temperature of more than 100 degree Celsius. When the rice flake becomes soft, it is moulded and pressed in different shapes with sprinkling of coconut chunks fried in ghee. Now-a-days cherries and cashew nuts are added. After attractive packs, the muan remains fit for human consumption for six months. Dhanu Muan is considered as the most favourite of Goddess Tara Tarini.
Though there is no written history about the origin of Muan, historians believe the sweet delicacy was prepared in Ganjam for ritualistic offering to the deity on Dhanu Sankranti. But it was prepared with jaggery in the past. The sweet manufacturers of Ganjam were the first ones in Odisha to use sugar to prepare sweets replacing traditional jiggery after the first sugar mills on the eastern coast came up at Aska in the district in 1963.
It is believed that the farmers offer the Muan produced from rice flakes of their farm fields to the Goddess to be blessed for another bumper crop next year. They also present the Muan to their family members, relatives and friends residing outside as a goodwill gesture.
The traditional sweet preparation has undergone a change in taste and looks. While jaggery has been replaced with sugar, oil is used instead of ghee. To add to the flavours, coconut chunks, cherries and cashew nuts are added. Balaji Mistan Bhandar, Mukta Sweets and Sahu Sweets are rolling out the highest quantities of ghee Muan in Berhampur.
The price of Dhanu Muan has slightly increased this year due to rise in the price of ghee, coconut and the cost of labour. It ranges between Rs 100 and Rs 500 per kg and is available in 2 kg, 1 kg, 500 gm and 250 gm packets. Varieties of Muan including ‘Sada Muan’, ‘Masala Muan’, ‘Ghee Muan’, ‘Kaju Muan’, ‘Guda Muan’ and others have flooded the market. But Ghee Muan remains in great demand.
