Significance
Gwkha-Gwkhwi is an ethnic Bodo cuisine — a bitter, sour and pungent mixture of many wild plants — prepared during the Bwisagu festival. Bodos believe it acts as a medicine against various diseases for the whole year.
History & Cultural Context
Prepared on the last day of the lunar year (Gwkha-Gwkhwi Janai), the day before Bwisagu, the dish is made with meat (pork or chicken) and vegetables, or as a vegetarian preparation. Almost 17 to 101 perennial vegetables are chosen for it.
Process & Techniques
Seventeen to one hundred and one perennial vegetables are gathered on the day before Bwisagu and cooked together, with or without pork or chicken, into a bitter-sour mixture.
Traditional Knowledge
The number of plants chosen is always odd, as Bodos believe an odd number brings luck and prosperity. Traditionally the dish is considered a year-round remedy against ailments such as asthma, jaundice, bronchitis and more, and is a rich source of nutrients and natural antioxidants.
GI Registration Details
GI Number
GI 647
Application No.
647
Class
Class 29
Filing Date
29 August 2022
Registration Date
October 2024
Registered Applicant
Association of Traditional Food Products
Facilitated By
Bodo Culture and Heritage Preservation Board (BCHPB)
Geographic Origin
Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), Assam
Verification Status: VERIFIED
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