Joynagarer moa, a traditional favourite among Bengalis in winter season

Kolkata, Dec 8: While for the rest of the country, December may be the season of Christmas or New Year celebration, but for Kolkatans, it is finally that time of the year when the arsenal of the heavenly winter sweets come out, and now with the help of the State Government, this traditional sweetmeat - Joynagarer moa - is off for export.

Moa (a type of sweet roasted-rice-based ball) from Joynagar, is a traditional favourite among Bengalis. It is available only during the winter season, when the ingredients are available.
This is the first sweet from Bengal to make its appearance post re-branding after GI certification. The others in the queue are Burdwan's mihidana and sitabhog and Banglar rasogolla. 
The name of the village "Joynagar Mozilpur" in the district of South 24 Parganas, about 50 kms from Kolkata is remembered in the mind of all people of West Bengal due to "Moya".
Purnachandra Ghosh alias Bunchikibabu is considered, along with Nitya Gopal Sarkar, the pioneers of Joynagar's moa.
Not only in West Bengal, the name of 'Moya' is spread even in other states of India. 
The "Moya" as a favourite sweetment is prepared from "Kanakchur Dhaan" contains a 
special aroma and taste.
Joynagarer moa is made with nolen gur (jaggery made from date palm tree extract 
with exquisite taste and aroma), kanakchur khoi (a form of popped rice made from a 
special variety of aromatic rice), gawa ghee (a type of clarified butter made from cow’s milk), elach (cardamom), and posto (poppy seed).
Both nolen gur and Kanakchur rice are winter products (available around November 
to January) and hence Joynagarer moa is available during this period only.
There are over 150 sweetmeat shops in Joynagar, Baharu and Charan, which 
produce Joynagarer moa with the original ingredients.
Joynagarer moa got a Geographical Indication tag in 2015 which will enable the 
product to be protected from unauthorized uses and piracy.
This goodwill would now be put to good use, as packets of moa are going to be 
exported.
The authentic Joynagarer Moa packets, bearing the GI tag, will make its debut in the 
first week of December in some of the leading shopping malls, departmental stores and big sweet shops of the city.
The specially designed packets will bear the GI stamp and the approved logo 
assigned to the sweet to prove that what lies inside is authentic and different in taste 
and quality compared to what we are generally used to. UNI