Kathmandu : Today is the 15th of Shrwan month of Nepali calendar , the day to celebrate eating rice-podding. In Nepali society, it is customary to eat rice podding on 30th July(B.S. Shrawan 15)

It is an ancient Nepali tradition to eat curd, ‘chiura’ and rice podding on the 15th of Asar during the rainy season. Historians say that the tradition of eating rice podding has started as hot rice-podding is good for health during the rainy season. It is believed that this tradition is based on the fact that rice-podding made by adding spices and other things in milk is good for health.

Ram Chandra Gautam, a theologian and former chairman of the Nepal Panchang Adjudicating Committee, said that Rice-podding, also known as Payas in Sanskrit, is considered as one of the best of the purest diets.

In the month of July, farming can be done in the village. As there is more greenery, more grass is available. When there is a lot of good grass, cows and buffaloes also give enough milk. When there is a lot of milk, it is customary to invite a friend and a girl to the house and provide to eat Rice-poding.

From the time of the sages, Brahmins who were invited to the patriarchal functions including ‘shraddha’ were fed payas or Ric-podding. Even today, the followers of ‘Vedic Sanatan Dharma’ make Rice-podding(in Nepali Khir) in cow’s milk on the day of ‘shraddha’.

Khir of rice, cauliflower, sevai, maize, carrot etc. is made. Caution is placed in the category of fruits. Similarly, since green maize is available in abundance in the month of July, it is customary to eat it by making maize husk. There has been a religious belief that ‘khir’ should be offered to the deity.

In the Nepali dictionary, ‘khir’ is defined as ‘rice cooked in milk, rice in milk, sugar, spices, etc., freshly cooked food, emulsion, tasmai’.
In Nepali society, there is a basic tradition of making curd, ‘chiura’ on Asar 15th, ‘khir’ on Sharwan 15th,, roasted maize on Bhadra 15th , ghee sour on Poush 15Th, malpuwala and other things on Magha 15th and inviting friends and daughters to eat.

According to the National Dairy Development Board, milk thistle will develop immunity in the human body during the Corona virus epidemic. A meeting of the board held on March 31 last year had decided to celebrate July 30 as ‘Khir Day.’