Jharkhand’s humble dhuska, litti chokha, murga sarso, ghoogni, along with the elaborate Goan cuisine made it to menu the National Youth Day Programme, organised by the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition, in Goa on Tuesday.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, invited as the chief guest to mark the 158th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, witnessed the unique cuisine and culture of Goa and Jharkhand under the Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat initiative. He even paid a floral tribute to a portrait of Swamiji.

The event was also attended by minister of protocol, Goa, Mauvin Godinho, director-general of the Union Ministry of Tourism Meenakshi Sharma, economic advisor of the ministry of tourism Gyan Bhushan and chairman of the Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition J. Ashok Kumar.

The programme aimed to bring Jharkhand and Goa together despite their diversity, aiming to enhance the bond between the two.

Thereby, they put the contrasting Goan and Jharkhand culture to complement each other. Right from presenting the Se Cathedral de Santa Catarina and Bundu’s Sun temple; football and field hockey; Palolem beach and Parasnath Hills; Grand parade of Goa carnival and Baha dance during Baha festival; Christmas’s midnight mass and the early morning arghya during Chhath; bebinca cake and malpua, the organizers displayed it all as part of the cultural exchange initiative of the Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat programme.

Speaking at the event, Naidu has praised the initiative (Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat) for showcasing the cultural connection between Goa and Jharkhand. He said these innovative measures would enhance the bonding and strengthen the unity and integrity of our country.

“We are trying our best to rebuild the tourism and hospitality industry. We shall contribute to showcasing India’s rich heritage and culture in a better way. As part of the Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat programme, students from Goa have learnt a lot about Jharkhand and vice versa,” said Donna D’Souza, principal of Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition, Goa.

Apart from the cuisine, there was a vibrant display of Goan and Jharkhand’s art. The exhibition also showcased artefacts like Chhau masks from Jharkhand. Several online events on photography and essay were conducted on this day, because of the pandemic.