Jalbhara Sweet from Chandannagar in
Hooghly district, West Bengal, received the Geographical Indication tag
¨ Jalbhara Sweet (Jalbhora
Sandesh) from Chandannagar in Hooghly district, West Bengal, received the
Geographical Indication (GI) tag on 26 June 2026.
¨ The sweet has a recorded legacy of more than 220 years in Bengal’s confectionery tradition.
¨ A Geographical Indication
(GI) is a sign used for products that have a specific geographical origin and
possess qualities, reputation, or characteristics linked to that place.
¨ In India, GI registration
is governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and
Protection) Act, 1999.
¨
The Geographical
Indications Registry is located in Chennai.
¨ Jalbhara Sweet is made
with a soft chhena (cottage cheese) shell and a liquid filling.
¨ The filling is
traditionally prepared using rose syrup or nolen gur (date palm jaggery syrup).
¨ The sweet is an important
part of Chandannagar’s culinary heritage and is also prepared in other parts of
Bengal.
¨
The origin of the sweet
is associated with the Telinipara locality of Chandannagar.
¨ Its creation is credited
to confectioner Surjya Modak and his son Siddheshwar Modak around 1843–1844.
¨ The GI application for
Jalbhara Sweet was submitted in September 2022.
