Sohari
| Alternative names | Soharee |
|---|---|
| Type | Bread |
| Place of origin | Bhojpuri region of Indian subcontinent |
| Associated cuisine | Bhojpuri cuisine, Nepalese |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Atta, water, oil or ghee |
| Ingredients generally used | Salt |
| Similar dishes | Paratha, Chapati, Puri |
Sohari[1] (also spelled Soharee; Bhojpuri: सोहारी)[2] is a thin, deep-fried flatbread originating from the Bhojpuri region of India and Nepal.[3][4] It is also popular in the Mithila region. It is used by Bhojpuri people during auspicious ceremonies and sacred festivals. Sohari is made of atta or maida, mixed into dough with water and cooked on a tava with ghee or mustard oil over direct heat.
Sohari is not consumed as daily food but as a prasada during festivals like Chhath, Jitiya and Kojagra. The main ingredient of Sohari is wheat flour, and it is bigger than puri and thinner.[5] Variations also exist in the Newar cuisine and Chhattisgarhi cuisine, where it is known as Swari[6], and Sohari[7] respectively.
Etymology
[edit]The term Sohari (also spelled Soharee) has roots in the Bhojpuri language and literally means “food for the gods.”[3] The word refers to a type of ghee-basted flatbread (roti) that is traditionally offered to Hindu priests during religious rituals in Bhojpuri region.[8]
Significance
[edit]Sohari is traditionally offered as a religious offering at Hindu shrines in the Bhojpuri region. At Sheetla Chaukiya Dham in Jaunpur, devotees offer Sohari and lapsi after the fulfillment of a vow, while at Gadbada Dham in Mirzapur, women prepare Sohari and lapsi and offer them to the deity during the annual fair.[9][10] During Chhath Puja, Sohari is prepared as part of the Kharna offering.[11] It is also served as an offering to Hindu priests during religious ceremonies.
Influence in Trinidad and Tobago
[edit]The traditional use of Sohari flatbread has also influenced food practices among Bhojpuri communities in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean. In the Bhojpuri region, food is traditionally served on banana leaves and other large leaves during religious ceremonies and communal occasions.[12] As Bhojpuri communities migrated to the Caribbean during the period of Indian indenture, these food-serving traditions were carried with them and adapted to the local environment.
Over time, the large leaf used to serve Sohari and other foods in Trinidad and Tobago also came to be known as the Sohari leaf. The leaf is obtained from Calathea lutea, a tropical plant native to the Caribbean and parts of Central and South America. Its broad and sturdy leaves are suitable for serving food and are used for meals including rice, chana, curries, vegetables, and sweets.[3]
The Sohari leaf continues to be used among Indo-Trinidadian communities at religious gatherings, weddings, community feasts, and festivals such as Deepawali. Its continued use reflects the preservation and adaptation of Indian, including Bhojpuri-influenced, culinary and religious traditions in the Caribbean.[8]
The cultural significance of the Sohari leaf was highlighted during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2025 visit to Trinidad and Tobago, when food was served on Sohari leaves at a special dinner hosted by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.[13]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Mishra, Vijayakanta (1979). Cultural Heritage of Mithila. Mithila Prakasana. p. 336.
- ↑ Gautama, Rādheśyāma Siṃha (1992). Bhārata kī anya bhāshāoṃ se Nāgā bhāshāoṃ kā sambandha (in Hindi). R̥shipattana Prakāśana.
- 1 2 3 "Modi eats on Sohari leaf in Trinidad". The Economic Times. 4 July 2025.
- ↑ Choudhary, Indra Kumar (1988). Some Aspects of Social Life of Medieval Mithila, 1350-1750 A.D.: With a Special Reference to Contemporary Literatures. Kashi Prasad Jayaswal Research Institute. p. 13.
- ↑ Jāyasī, Malika Mohammada (1962). Padmāvata (in Hindi). Sāhitya Sadana. p. 325.
Hindi: पूरी से बड़ी सोहारी, सोहारी से बड़ी लुचुई होती है ।, lit. ''Sohari is bigger than Puri and Luchui is bigger than Sohari.''
- ↑ Majupuria, Indra (1990). Enjoy Nepalese Cuisine: Traditional Food and Drinks with Some Global Insights. M. Devi. p. 51. ISBN 978-99933-54-00-0.
- ↑ Chauhan, Ramesh. Chhattisgarhi Speaking Guide: From English to Chhattisgarhi - A Step-by-Step Guide to Fluency. Ramesh Kumar Chauhan. p. 79.
- 1 2 "What is Sohari leaf and how is it significant to the Indians of Trinidad & Tobago?". The Times of India. 2025-07-04. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- ↑ "गवईं मेले में एक लाख भक्तों ने माता के दरबार में लगाई हाजिरी". www.livehindustan.com (in Hindi). 2024-12-02. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- ↑ "पूर्वाचल में आस्था का केंद्र बना है शीतला चौकिया धाम - Center of Faith in Purvanchal Sheetla Chaukiya Dham". Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- ↑ "Chhath Puja 2018: देश भर में व्रतियों ने उगते सूर्य को अर्घ्य दिया". www.livehindustan.com (in Hindi). 2018-11-13. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- ↑ "Just a moment…". theprint.in. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- ↑ "सोहारी पत्ते की भोजपुरी जड़ें : पीएम मोदी ने त्रिनिदाद और और टोबैगो में चखा भारतीय परंपरा का स्वाद - REVOI Hindi News". 2025-07-04. Retrieved 2026-10-02.