A Traditional & Tasty Delight

Roshmanjuri is a very popular, traditional and delicious sweet from Gaibandha. There is a common statement about this sweet- "Once you have the taste of Roshmanjuri,  you will be indulged in its deliciousness forever."
The name Roshmanjuri shares a deep relation with the district's name; therefore people from any corner of the country never forget to try this sugary delight first but anything else whenever they pay a visit here in Gaibandha. The visit does not seem to be completed without having a taste of it. From hospitality to an occasional arrangement, everything remains incomplete without this sugary amusement. It may sound strange but sometimes even a work can get done offering this sweet to some officials. No one would ever know the deliciousness of this sweet without satisfying their taste but at least once.
Roshmanjuri is not only popular in Gaibandha but also in other places of the country. Now it's being exported as well to let more people have the satisfaction of its sweetness.  Roshmanjuri, the poetic name itself, has something different in it.  These marvel sized sweets are made of curd dipping in the moist and dense milk. These little sweets look more like tiny mangoes coming off from the bud and dip into the dense milk. Two different forms of milk come together and make this juicy delight. Those little sugary buds (Manjuri in Bengla) and juiciness (Rosh in Bengla) of the milk come together and name the delicious sweetmeat as Roshmanjuri.  
Nobody knows that who made this sweet first but Ram Mohon Dey, the owner of 'Mishty Bhandar' hailed from Gaibanndha discovered it. Roshmanjuri started to be produced commercially in 1940 and the sweet started to earn its name and recognition throughout the country by 1950.
'Mishtanno Bhandar' is located in the Circular Road in Gaibandha district. Ramesh Ghose, the proprietor of 'Mishtanno Vandar' has the pride of   making this sweetmeat admired by the sweet lovers countrywide along with Gaibandha in 50's.  Until now, the reputation of this sugary delight is increasing day by day gathering all the admiration from the sweet cravers although the real taste has been manipulated by the new confectioners.
The top-quality Roshmanjuri is available in different sweet's shops of the district town like Gaibandha Mishtanno Bhandar, Ramesh Ghose Mishtir Dokan, Pushpa Mishtanno Bhandar, Jolojog Mishtanno Bhandar, Shantosh Mishtanno Bhandar, Kalibabur Mishtir Dokan, Dev Mishtanno Bhandar . It's also available in different places of Sadar Upazila like Shwilpi Hotel & Restaurant and Mitali Hotel, Mayamoni & Banaphool Hotel& Restaurant of Govindaganj.  
Balram Ghose, owner of 'Ramesh Ghose Mishtanno Bhandar' said that Roshmanjuri costs TK 250 per kilogram, TK 50 per plate and TK25 per half-plate portion.  
A confectioner of Roshmanjuri, Bhakta Ghose said, "The ingredients which are used in making Roshmajuri are just a few and they are cow's milk, sugar, flour and little cardamom. Moreover, the procedure of making Roshmanjuri is not that difficult. Cook the milk until it becomes thick and add sugar (as much needed) and cardamom in it. Make little sweets with curd and put them into sugar syrup and cook it unless the colour of those sweets changes into brown. Drain those sweets in a bowl and dip them into the moist and dense milk syrup. Roshmanjuri is ready. Now, let it chill and serve it with the milk syrup on a plate."
It costs Tk 225 to Tk 230 per kilogram to make Roshmanjuri. But the price soaring of milk, sugar, all purpose flour, cardamom and fuel along with the wage of the confectioners left us with a very low profit, Bhakta Ghose added.
Ajit Ghose, a confectioner said, "The taste and quality of Roshmanjuri depends on the availability of pure milk and the professionalism of a confectioner. However, most of the local confectioners in Gaibandha are adding more flour than curd or milk in it and making a lower quality sweetmeat to make more profits. It's destroying the earned reputation of this traditional and tasty delight Roshmanjuri."
Translated by Nahid Ferdous