Dogri delicacy Kalari: Foodies across J&K relish

Anyone who wants to relish traditional Dogra cuisine must not miss the mouthwatering delicacy of Udhampur district's 'Kalari', a fast emerging first choice for foodies across the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
An all-weather street snack usually eaten with kulcha (bun), 'Kalari', all over north India is a popular local milk by-product delicacy that resembles mozzarella cheese, but quite different in taste.
It is endemic to the Shivalik hills of Jammu, particularly Udhampur. Initiated by the District Administration Udhampur in collaboration with Jammu and Kashmir National Rural Livelihood Mission, 'Kalari' is now reaching almost every household on demand under the title “The Himalayan Bliss”-- a Jammu based firm.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who is also Member of Parliament from Kathua-Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency, had tweeted: “Under "One District One Product", #Udhampur in #JammuAndKashmir has designated milk product "Kalari" as the District Brand.
"Self Help Women Groups being encouraged to promote Kalari for consumption as well as livelihood.”
Deputy Commissioner Udhampur Indu Kanwal Chib said: “At present our members are preparing approximately 1.5 quintal of 'Kalari' and about 200 members are involved in the business.”
She said the District Co-Operative Department Udhampur led by Mission Director Syed Sehrish Asgar have registered three milk and milk processing co-operatives focusing particularly on “Kalari”.
The JKRLM, Basantgarh, District Udhampur has started packaging of “Kalari” with the help of local entrepreneur under the brand name “The Himalayan Bliss”, said the deputy commissioner.
As far as licensing and marketing of the product is concerned, it is being taken care of by the firm and the packed 'Kalari' is available at various departmental stores and supermarkets in Jammu, the deputy commissioner added.
“The product is being prepared and packaged by Self Help Groups (SHG) members of block Basantgarh and being transported with the help of local transport to Jammu,” Chib said.
“The JKRLM Udhampur is also planning to take up this initiative to all SHGs as Kalari is being prepared in almost every household of district Udhampur,” she said, adding that the co-operatives can certainly play a big role in flourishing the Kalari industry.
On its export across the country, Chib said, “after getting the GI registration certificate for Udhampur Kalari, nearly 5,000 people will be benefited directly, who are engaged in the production of milk, its processing, making, selling and trading of the product to other places from Udhampur.”
Only the Udhampur made Kalari will be treated as 'Udhampur Kalari' under Intellectual Property Right as GI product and if any person beyond the district will sell in its name and title will be treated as illegal, said an official.
Chib said that facilities in the sector of Dairy Development like storage and freezing of milk, storage of raw Kaladi, branding at Delhi and other Metros will start soon. “With the launching of 'The Himalayan Bliss' Kalari, NRLM Basantgarh is serving two purposes, firstly providing income to women in our rural areas and popularising the traditional cheese,” BPM Basantgarh, Naresh Mathur said.
He said: “In future, NRLM is mulling to tie-up with District Cooperative Department Udhampur to further increase the employment avenues for rural women through Kalari on the lines of Amul Cooperatives.”
The Udhampur district administration has already registered four Dairy Cooperative Societies and Cooperatives while 15 are proposed for the registration. 'Kalari' is in high demand at all tourist destinations across the UT and tourists from different parts of the country relish it.