Khejurer Gur
Traditional Bengali palm sugar from date palm sap.
Khejurer Gur (Bengali: খেজুরের গুড়) is a palm sugar derived from the sweet sap of date palms. The sap is boiled down into a concentrated syrup through evaporation, and then cooled to form the final product. It comes in two varieties: Patali, which is solid, and Nolen or Jhola, which is liquid. The term "Khejur" refers to the date palm, while "gur" means jaggery. This sugar is a key ingredient in Bengali cuisine, especially in making Pitha, where it contributes a nutty flavor and sweetness.
The production of Khejurer Gur in Bengal has ancient roots. Nolen Gur, a type of Khejurer Gur, appears in the Sanskrit poetic work *Sadukti-Karnamrta* by Sridhardas. The first factory for Khejurer Gur was established in 1861 by Mr. Newhouse at Taherpur on the Kapotaksha River in Chougacha. Today, West Bengal and Orissa in India, along with the Jessore and Faridpur districts in Bangladesh, are well-known for producing it. Kolkata is particularly famous for using Nolen Gur in sweets like Sandesh and other Mishti.
The palm sugar industry in Bengal is around 4,000 years old and remains a traditional village enterprise. The southern districts of West Bengal and southwestern districts of Bangladesh, including Jessore, Faridpur, the former Twenty-four Parganas, and Nadia, have been famous for gur production for centuries. According to historian Satish Chandra Mitra, in 1900–1901, East Bengal produced 21 lakh 80 thousand 550 maunds of Khejurer Gur, with Jessore alone contributing 17 lakh 9 thousand 960 maunds. The first date palm jaggery and sugar factory was built in 1861 by Mr. Newhouse at Taherpur on the Kapotaksha River in Chougacha, marking the first industrialization of palm sugar in India. Later, 117 factories were established across various villages in Jessore.
Quick Facts
- Place Of Origin
- Bengal
- Region
- Bengal and Odisha
- Variations
- Patali and Nolen
- Serving Size
- 100 g
- Calories
- 355
- Protein
- 1.69
- Carbohydrate
- 87
- No Recipes
- true
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The history of Khejurer Gur production in Bengal is very old. Nolen Gur, a type of Khejurer Gur, is mentioned in the Sanskrit Kāvya Sadukti-Karnamrta by Sridhardas. Historian Niharranjan Roy, in his book History of Bengali Adiparva, notes that Nolen Gur is described in this text.
The first Khejurer Gur factory was built in 1861 by Mr. Newhouse at Taherpur on the banks of the Kapotaksha River in Chougacha, marking the first industrialization of palm sugar production in India. Later, 117 factories were established in different villages of Jessore. According to the book History of Jessohar Khulna by Satish Chandra Mitra, 21 lakh 80 thousand 550 maunds of Khejurer Gur were produced in East Bengal in 1900–1901, with Jessore alone contributing 17 lakh 9 thousand 960 maunds.
Reader's Guide
Khejurer Gur is a traditional palm sugar central to Bengali cuisine and culture. Its production as a village industry in Bengal dates back about 4000 years. The sugar is derived from date palm sap, boiled and concentrated into syrup, then cooled into solid (Patali) or liquid (Nolen/Jhola) forms. It is especially famous in West Bengal and Orissa in India, and in the Jessore and Faridpur districts of Bangladesh. The southern districts of West Bengal and southwestern districts of Bangladesh are particularly renowned for their Khejurer Gur, with Jessore, Faridpur, Undivided Twenty-four Parganas, and Nadia district having centuries of production history.
Khejurer Gur holds significant culinary importance, particularly in Bengali sweets. It is essential in preparing Pitha, a type of traditional cake or dumpling, and Kolkata is famous for using Nolen Gur in Sandesh and other Mishti (sweets). The first factory, established in 1837 at Dhoba near Bardwan, initiated industrial palm sugar production in India. By 1900–1901, East Bengal produced over 21 lakh maunds of Khejurer Gur, demonstrating its large-scale economic role. The legacy of Khejurer Gur continues as a cherished ingredient and a symbol of Bengal's agricultural and culinary heritage.
Did You Know?
- Khejurer Gur is available in two forms: Patali (solid) and Nolen or Jhola (liquid).
- The first Khejurer Gur factory was established in 1837 at Dhoba near Bardwan in West Bengal.
- In 1900–1901, Jessore alone produced 17 lakh 9 thousand 960 maunds of Khejurer Gur.
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