Boka Chaul (বোকা চাউল) | |
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Geographical indication | |
Alternative names | Boka, Banta Boka, Bhokhoorie Boka, Boka jahinga, Jokhoroo boka, Khamti boka, Laobuka, Para chakhua, Ranga bokadha, Ronga boka, Santi boka, Booka, Baga jhul and Boga |
Description | Boka Chaul is a rice variety cultivated in Assam |
Area | Assam |
Country | India |
Registered | 30 July 2018 |
Official website | ipindia.gov.in |
Boka Chaul is a variety of short-grained rice mainly grown in the Indian state of Assam. [1] [2] It is a common and widely cultivated crop in the Lower Brahmaputra Valley Zone of Assam, encompassing the districts of Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Goalpara, Barpeta, Nalbari, Baksa, Kamrup Rural, Kamrup Metropolitan, Darrang, and Udalguri falling in Lower Assam division. [3] [4] Boka Chaul is a brand or group name associated with a specific type of parboiled rice. This rice is produced by parboiling whole grains of a unique winter rice variety called Boka dhan. Soaking the kernels in cold water (at ambient temperature) is sufficient to prepare Boka chaul for consumption. [5]
Under its Geographical Indication tag, it is referred to as "Boka Chaul". [6]
Boka chaul, literally translated as "soft rice" in the local state language of Assamese, derives its name from the word "Boka" meaning "mud" - reflecting the soft texture of the rice while "Chaul" means rice.
Boka Chaul, often hailed as the "Magic Rice" is a unique variety renowned for its extraordinary property of requiring no cooking! [7] This special rice, when soaked in lukewarm water for a few minutes, transforms into a soft, cooked rice-like texture. [8] The secret lies in its low amylose content. Amylose, a type of starch, is responsible for the firmness of rice grains. Boka Chaul, with significantly lower amylose levels compared to regular rice, becomes soft and easily digestible. [6]
It was awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) status tag from the Geographical Indications Registry, under the Union Government of India, on 30 July 2018 and is valid until 24 July 2026. [6] [11]
Lotus Progressive Centre (LPC) and Centre for Environment Education (CEE) from Guwahati, proposed the GI registration of Boka Chaul. [12] After filing the application in July 2018, the rice was granted the GI tag in 2023 by the Geographical Indication Registry in Chennai, making the name "Boka Chaul" exclusive to the rice grown in the region. It thus became the second rice variety from Assam after Joha rice and the 7th type of goods from Assam to earn the GI tag. [13]
The GI tag protects the rice from illegal selling and marketing, and gives it legal protection and a unique identity.
Assam is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of 78,438 km2 (30,285 sq mi). It is the second largest state in northeastern India by area and the largest in terms of population, with more than 31 million inhabitants. The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur to the east; Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and Bangladesh to the south; and West Bengal to the west via the Siliguri Corridor, a 22-kilometre-wide (14 mi) strip of land that connects the state to the rest of India. Assamese and Bodo are two of the official languages for the entire state and Meitei (Manipuri) is recognised as an additional official language in three districts of Barak Valley and Hojai district. in Hojai district and for the Barak valley region, alongside Bengali, which is also an official language in the Barak Valley.
Kamrup Rural district, or simply Kamrup district, is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India formed by dividing the old Kamrup district into two in the year 2003; other being Kamrup Metropolitan district, named after the region it constitutes. This district, along with Nalbari, Barpeta, Kamrup Metropolitan, Bajali and Baksa districts has been created from the Undivided Kamrup district. Rangiya is the Sub-District of Kamrup.
Parboiled rice, also called converted rice, easy-cook rice, sella rice, and miniket is rice that has been partially boiled in the husk. The three basic steps of parboiling are soaking, steaming and drying. These steps make the rice easier to process by hand, while also boosting its nutritional profile, changing its texture, and making it more resistant to weevils. The treatment is practiced in many other parts of the world.
Goalpariya is a group of Indo-Aryan dialects spoken in the Goalpara region of Assam, India. Along with Kamrupi, they form the western group of Assamese dialects. The North Bengali dialect is situated to its west, amidst a number of Tibeto-Burman speech communities. The basic characteristic of the Goalpariya is that it is a composite one into which words of different concerns and regions have been amalgamated. Deshi people speak this language and there are around 20 lakhs people.
The Gamosa of Assam is an article of significance for the indigenous people of Assam, India. It is generally a white rectangular piece of cloth with primarily a red border on three sides and red woven motifs on the fourth. Although cotton yarn is the most common material for making/weaving gamosas, there are special occasion ones made from Pat silk.
Bora saul is a variety of glutinous rice found in Assam, India. It has an important role in festivals of Assam. During traditional occasions like Bihu, this variety of rice is eaten with served with doi (curd), gur (jaggery) and cream.
Matta rice is an indigenous variety of rice grown in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts of Karnataka, Palakkad district of Kerala, India and in Jaffna district of Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is known for its coarseness and health benefits. It is popular in Kerala and coastal Karnataka in India and Sri Lanka where it is used on a regular basis for idlies, appams and plain rice.
Kamrupi dialects are a group of regional dialects of Assamese, spoken in the Kamrup region. It formerly enjoyed prestige status. It is one of two western dialect groups of the Assamese language, the other being Goalpariya. Kamrupi is heterogeneous with three subdialects— Barpetia dialect, Nalbariya dialect and Palasbaria dialect.
Kalanamak is a scented rice of Nepal and India. Its name means black husk. This variety has been in cultivation since the original Buddhist period. It is popular in Himalayan Tarai of Nepal i.e., Kapilvastu, and eastern Uttar Pradesh, where it is known as the scented black pearl. It was featured in the book Speciality rices of the world by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Muga silk is a variety of wild silk geographically tagged to the state of Assam in India. The silk is known for its extreme durability and has a natural yellowish-golden tint with a shimmering, glossy texture. It was previously reserved for the use of royalty. Muga is one of the three major types of indigenous wild silks produced in Assam, and is a key variety of Assam silk renowned for its natural golden color and durability.
Bhuragaon is the name of a town in the Indian state of Assam. Bhuragaon is located in Morigaon district. The town is situated on the south bank of the river Brahmaputra.
Chokuwa saul is a variety of semi-glutinous rice found in Assam, India. The sticky rice of Assam is traditionally classified as bora (glutinous) and chokuwa (semi-glutinous) based on their stickiness after cooking. It has an important role in Assam.
Kaji Nemu is a special variety of Assam lemon grown in various parts of Assam. Kaji Nemu is the state fruit of Assam. Kaji Nemu has some characteristics that set it apart from other lemons, particularly its distinct smell and relatively larger size. Kaji Nemu fruits do not fall off the tree for many days after ripening, and they usually bear fruit throughout the year. On 10 May 2019, Kaji Nemu received geographical indication tag.
Balaghat Chinnor is a variety of non-Basmati aromatic rice mainly grown in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is a common and widely cultivated crop in tehsils of Balaghat, Baihar, Birsa, Paraswada, Katangi, Waraseoni, Lalbarra, Khairlanji, Lanji and Kirnapur of Balaghat district
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Kalonunia rice is a variety of non-Basmati, aromatic, black textured small rice mainly grown in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a common and widely cultivated crop in districts of Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar along with some parts of Darjeeling & Kalimpong districts of West Bengal.
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