Odia New Year (Pana Sankranti) Celebrated mid-April in Odisha, marking the Odia calendar start and summer season. Bela Pana is a traditional cooling drink for the day, made with bael pulp, milk or curd, jaggery, banana, coconut. Offered to deities, then shared to beat the heat .
Break the bel fruit and scoop out the pulp into a large bowl.
Add half cup of water and soak the pulp for 10 minutes to loosen it.
Mash the pulp well with your hands and remove all the seeds and fibrous parts.
Strain the mixture through a sieve into another bowl to get a smooth pulp.
To the bel pulp add chilled water, milk and curd and mix well.
Add jaggery or sugar and stir until it dissolves completely.
Mix in mashed banana, grated coconut and chhena if using.
Add roasted cumin powder, black pepper powder and cardamom powder for flavor.
Whisk everything together until the pana becomes smooth and slightly thick.
Pour into glasses and garnish with pomegranate seeds, cashew pieces and tulsi leaves.
Chill for 15 minutes and serve as prasad on Pana Sankranti.
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