Pankhari, the one with the wings (from Paankh in Gujarati) gets its name from the wing-like rudimentary glumes at the base of its spikelet. It is a rice variety once cherished for its exceptional fragrance and delicate flavour, but today it lives only in the memories of octogenarians who fondly recall its soft, melt-in-the-mouth texture.
Pankhari and Krishna Kamod—two iconic rice varieties from Gujarat—are celebrated for their aroma and form. Both trace their roots to Duskoshi in Gujarat’s Kheda district, a region once hailed as the rice bowl of the state. While Krishna Kamod has barely withstood the increasing challenges posed by erratic weather patterns, the fragile Pankhari, with its poor resistance, has succumbed to the pressures of unpredictable growing conditions.
Scroll down for more information about this rice.
Description
THE CULTURAL & ECOLOGICAL LIFE OF THIS RICE
Shalikuta first learned about Pankhari in 2019 during our visit to the Main Rice Research Station (MRRS) in Nawagaum, Gujarat. The station conserves seeds of this rare and remarkable rice variety—remarkable because of its wing-like rudimentary glumes at the base of each spikelet, a unique feature that sets it apart. It is believed that only two or three such paddy variety exist in India.
It was in conversation with the scientists at MRRS that we discovered Pankhari, once cherished, had now faded into obscurity. They weren’t aware of a single farmer still cultivating it. From that visit, we brought back a few Pankhari panicles to preserve in our rice library.
Pankhari and Krishna Kamod are among Gujarat’s most celebrated aromatic rice varieties. Pankhari, in particular, was once regarded as the pinnacle of rice excellence among Gujarat’s elite households—those who could afford it often preferred it over even the prized Krishna Kamod. If Daudkhani wheat was the king of wheat in Gujarat, Pankhari was undoubtedly the king of rice.
Both Pankhari and Krishna Kamod are native to Duskoshi, a region fondly nicknamed the “rice bowl of Gujarat” for nurturing three premium aromatic rice varieties: Pankhari, Krishna Kamod, and Jeerasar. The fertile soils and waters of the Khari river created ideal conditions for cultivating these long-duration, lowland varieties. While Jeerasar had its admirers, it was Pankhari and Krishna Kamod that captivated farmers, merchants, and consumers alike—farmers prized them for the high returns, while consumers were drawn to their soothing taste and exquisite aroma.
“The aroma of Pankhari when cooked would waft through four to five homes—that’s how fragrant it was. Even the fields smelled divine,” recalls Dr. A. R. Pathak, former Director of MRRS, Nawagaum, who has worked extensively to conserve Pankhari.
Both Dr. A. R. Pathak and Dr. A. M. Mehta have written extensively about the unique qualities of Pankhari and Krishna Kamod in their essay “Aromatic Rices of Gujarat,” featured in the book A Treatise on the Scented Rices of India. They note that these varieties were likely introduced to the Duskoshi region 200–250 years ago, brought back by local farmers returning from a pilgrimage to Kashi. Since then, these aromatic rices have remained rooted in Duskoshi, never really spreading beyond. Before their arrival, the farmers of Gujarat grew only short-duration, non-aromatic rice varieties.
But like many aromatic rices, Pankhari’s finest traits also led to its downfall. With a long growing cycle of 150–160 days in waterlogged conditions, low yield and increasing vulnerability to climate unpredictability, Pankhari became highly susceptible to pest infestations—particularly the rice blast disease. Its weak immunity and tall stature made it even more vulnerable. Over time, the consistent crop failures discouraged farmers, and the cultivation of this delicate variety ceased altogether.
It was only in October 2024 that we discovered Sardar Patel Farm—perhaps the only one—cultivating Pankhari, and we were fortunate to visit the farm, capture the standing crop and procure a small quantity for our research and document it here.
NUTRITIONAL AND MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
We have no information about the nutritional and medical properties of this rice at this time.
CULINARY USES
Very little mention of Pankhari is found in Gujarat’s culinary literature, though we did come across a book published in 1928 that specifically recommends Pankhari for preparing certain varieties of khichri and a festive sweet rice dish called Biranj.
Pankhari makes an excellent choice for rice puddings like kheer, phirni and payasam.
WHO GROWS THIS RICE & WHERE CAN I BUY?
The only source that will likely have Pankhari is:
- Sardar Patel Farm , is the only known farmer in Gujarat to grow Pankhari rice on their bio-dynamic farm situated in the outskirts of Ahmedabad. Since the quantity is small they run out of Pankhari within a of its harvest.
SOURCES & FURTHER READING
- Singh, RK. Singh, US. 2003. A Treatise on the Scented Rices of India. New Delhi: Kalyani Publishers
Additional information
| Region of Origin | West |
|---|---|
| Grain Shape | small or fine |
| Grain Colour | White |
| Fragrance | Strong aroma |
