Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
BIRTH ANNIVERSARY EXCLUSIVE:
ACHARYA PC RAY (2 AUGUST 1861)
Scene 1: Two people having a sherbet in a cold drink shop at Bankim Chatterjee Street, Calcutta, talking in a low hush tone. A bearded man draped in a shawl enters, orders a drink and goes inside.
Scene 2: A plainclothes man rushes inside the shop, scans it. He finds all three missing and asks the person sitting at the shop counter about their whereabouts. The manager shakes his head nodding in the negative. The man turns around distastefully and goes away.
Scene 3: Three people sitting around a candle, sipping a cold sherbet and discussing the current situation in the city and the steps to counter the policies of the British administration. Suddenly, a man opens the door and joins them. Smilingly, one person says, “Nihar da, the sherbet is so refreshing and hydrating”. Nihar (the fourth man) smiles back and says that it’s all the handiwork of our great friend and scientist sitting here.
Fast forward to the present day, the location is the iconic Paramount Cold Drinks and Syrups, a 108-year-old, narrow shop still located at the same place. The place of the meeting is a small secret room at the end of this shop for the revolutionaries to meet and discuss the strategies.
The fourth man who had entered in the scene above is Nihar Ranjan Mazumdar (the shop owner), a member of the Barisal Anushilan Samiti and a revolutionary. The lean bearded man sitting in the centre and discussing intently is none other than the great revolutionary-chemist Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray.
Limiting Acharya Ray to one specific domain and work is one of the most difficult things in history. Just recalling the name Prafulla Chandra Ray brings the image of a chemistry professor, an inspiring teacher, a startup industrialist, a custodian of history of science, philanthropist, a great nationalist and so on. Surprisingly, this man had a keen interest in culinary science and was happily a food chemist too. I will credit this role to his chemistry background as we are used to playing with mixing of all these types of solutions.
The shop being near the College Street—the intellectual heart of Calcutta—was frequented by students, professors, office goers and freedom fighters. P C Ray was concerned about the health of young students who used to travel and study long hours in the extreme humid summer heat of Calcutta. Even sitting in the library for long hours dehydrated the students due to dry air on many days. So, on one vibrant afternoon, Ray hit upon the idea of developing a health drink which was nutritious, hydrating and affordable. Along with Nihar Ranjan Mazumdar, and using his understanding of food chemistry, Acharya Ray formulated a refreshing concoction, a beverage with tender green coconut (Daab) as the base.
The principal ingredient is the green coconut also known as Daab providing electrolytes, mineral and natural sweeteners. To this, crushed ice and thin layers of coconut malai is added, which provides a mild creamy taste, when served chilled in hot weather. Then a sweet syrup is added, the exact proportions and ingredients are still a closely guarded secret, made with natural flavoring agents, which impart the sherbet a characteristic aromatic and subtle floral essence. It can be said that the exact measurements and ingredients of the natural syrup added, makes it one of the most well-kept culinary secrets of Kolkata.
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The colour of the Daab sherbet can be said to be almost milky but it finally depends upon the colorless natural coconut water and the coconut flesh added, which many a times give it a creamy appearance. The texture of the beverage is soft and sometimes jelly like due to fine blended pieces of coconut pulp and ice but still very light. It tastes naturally refreshing, mildly sweet and delicately flavored with a perfect balance of sweetness.
As expected, the nutritional value of the beverage is extremely rich. Full of potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, vitamin C and easily digestible carbohydrates, it is an excellent choice for students and people of Kolkata, naturally rehydrating them during the extreme hot weather. Keeping it affordable at just 4 anna, the drink gained popularity amongst students and people of Calcutta, when invented; it is now priced at Rs. 140.
The cold drinks shop was a regular joint of many luminaries like Subhash Chandra Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Meghnad Saha and others. The place was a cover, an eatery which served as a secret meeting place for the revolutionaries.
Acharya Ray believed that the use of the knowledge of chemistry should not remain confined to the laboratories but implemented directly into everyday life to improve the society. His involvement in food sciences reflects his broad understanding and practical outlook. The result can be easily correlated with his inspiration to set up India’s first modern chemical and pharmaceutical enterprise, the Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works Limited in 1892.
Today, every chilled glass of Daab sherbet tells the story of Acharya P C Ray’s empathy and vision, that extends beyond refreshment. Daab sherbet is the testament of the extraordinary legacy of this great man which survives not only in classrooms and laboratories but also as one of Kolkata’s most famous culinary traditions.
*The writer is a Professor, Department of Chemistry, ARSD College, University of Delhi, New Delhi.
