Panipuri origins: Did Draupadi create it to feed the Pandavas?

There are many legends about the origin of panipuri, but one of the most interesting legends dates back to the time of the Mahabharata. As per the popular story, Draupadi invented the delicacy because Kunti offered her just a little bit of food with which she was asked to feed all five brothers. There is also another legend about the creation of this dish in ancient Magadha in Bihar.

The panipuri legend: Draupadi’s test and the origins of phulki

This tale takes place when the Pandavas were in exile. The newly married Draupadi was said to be undergoing some tests by her mother-in-law, Kunti. In order to test her ingenuity, Kunti gave her the leftover parts of the potato dish and a small piece of dough made from wheat.

There was one challenge. Draupadi had to ensure that all the five Pandava brothers were provided food. Draupadi found one creative way out of this situation. Rather than using the dough for making a single chapati, she made several small pieces out of it. She fried those pieces of dough till they turned into puffed shells and then filled them with the potatoes.

It is believed that Kunti was impressed with the innovation of her daughter-in-law. It was believed that the goddess blessed the food with immortality. This blessing later became the reason for the popularity of the food called panipuri.

This historical narrative is a little different. It refers rather to Magadha, an ancient kingdom where a part of modern-day Bihar was located. In fact, according to this story, the panipuri was developed during a time when salted snacks and farsan were popular in the region.

The name for this early snack was phulki, which is still the name for panipuri in some regions in India. The ancient dish, however, was not necessarily the same as what is consumed nowadays. Its puris are said to be smaller and crisper compared to the current puris.

For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.