Most Maharashtrian kitchens have one "everyday" rice and don't think about it much. For a lot of homes on the Pune–Kolhapur side that rice is Indrayani. But walk into a Bhandara kitchen, a Malvan kitchen or a Nandurbar kitchen and the rice in the dabba is often something else: Chinnor, Kolam, ukda tandul, red rice, Ghansal. The names on rice packs are confusing because some are true varieties, some are place names, and some are just descriptions.
The short answer: for soft, everyday varan-bhaat, Indrayani or Kolam. For a fragrant rice that stays separate for pulao or a festive meal, Chinnor or Ajara Ghansal. For Konkan-style pej and fish-curry rice, ukda (parboiled) tandul. Red, brown and black rice are whole-grain rice with the bran left on: chewier, nuttier, slower to cook. And if you mostly want rice for kanda pohe, buy poha, not rice. If you're trying a new variety, buy one 1 kg pack and cook it two or three times before deciding.
We've written a separate guide to Indrayani rice, so this one covers everything else.
First, how to read a rice pack
- Variety names (Kolam, Chinnor, Ghansal, Indrayani) tell you what kind of grain is inside, and that decides how it cooks.
- Place names (Ajara, Wada, Bhandara, Shirala) tell you where a variety is traditionally grown. A pack packed in one district can still carry a variety named after another district, so the name is a guide to the type of rice, not proof of where it was farmed.
- Processing words (ukda/parboiled, brown, unpolished) tell you what was done to the grain after harvest. These change cooking time and texture as much as the variety does.
- GI (Geographical Indication) is a legal registration for a product from a specific area. Ajara Ghansal (registered 2016) and Bhandara Chinnor (registered 2023) are both GI-registered rices. A district name on a pack is not the same as a GI.
Kolam: the small, soft everyday rice
"Kolam" covers small, fine, off-white grains that cook soft and light. Wada Kolam, also called zini or jhini, takes its name from Wada taluka in Palghar district, where it has long been grown. It has a mild aroma rather than a strong one, and it suits the same everyday food as Indrayani: varan-bhaat, amti-bhaat, khichdi, curd rice and plain rice with sabzi.
- MAHIMA Vada Kolam Rice, Mahima Women SHG, Nandurbar: 1 kg at ₹183 or 5 kg at ₹526. The 5 kg bag works out to about ₹105 a kilo, the cheapest everyday rice on this page if your family already likes Kolam.
- UMADEVI Vada Kolam Rice, 1 kg, ₹183, Uma Devi Women SHG, Nandurbar.
Both are packed in Nandurbar. As explained above, "Vada Kolam" here names the type of rice.
Chinnor: Vidarbha's fragrant rice
Chinnor is the aromatic rice of the Bhandara–Gondia belt in eastern Vidarbha, and Bhandara Chinnor became a GI-registered rice in 2023. It's a medium grain with a pointed tip and a clear fragrance. It cooks firm and non-sticky, and the grains lengthen noticeably as they cook. That makes it a good choice when you want rice that stays separate: jeera rice, pulao, masale bhaat for guests, or simply a plate of rice that smells good.
- Chinoor Rice, 1 kg, ₹238, UDAN SHG.
Rinse it two or three times, soak for 15–20 minutes, and start with about 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water. Because the grains stay firm, it can take slightly more water than you'd expect if you like it softer.
Ajara Ghansal: Kolhapur's festive rice
Ghansal comes from Ajara taluka in Kolhapur district, and in 2016 it became the first rice from Maharashtra to be GI-registered. "Ghan" means fragrance, and that's what the rice is known for. The grains are short, bold and creamy-white. They cook firm and tender rather than sticky, and the aroma fills the kitchen. In Kolhapur homes it's the rice for weddings, festivals and special meals: plain rice with ghee and varan, or masale bhaat.
- SAKHI Ajara Ghansal Rice, 1 kg, ₹240.28, Kolhapur.
The listing describes this pack as GI-tagged. If GI status matters to you, check the pack for the GI logo or the registered-user details, as you would with any GI product.
Ukda tandul: the Konkan's parboiled rice
Ukda (or ukde) tandul is parboiled rice. Before milling, the paddy is soaked, steamed or boiled, and dried again. That gives the grain a firmer, slightly translucent look and a faint earthy taste, and it holds its shape well in long cooking. In Malvani and wider Konkan homes ukda rice is the rice for pej (a thin rice kanji), and it is eaten with fish curry and solkadhi.
- EKATA Ukade Rice, 1 kg, ₹274, Sindhudurg.
Ukda rice needs more time and water than white rice. Soak it for at least an hour, use about 1 cup of rice to 3 cups of water, and allow a few extra whistles in the pressure cooker. For pej, many cooks use much more water and simmer it until the grains are soft and the water turns milky.
Red, brown and black rice: the bran stays on
These three are whole-grain rice. Most of the bran layer that milling removes from white rice is left on, and that layer gives each its colour. Expect a chewier grain, a nuttier taste and a longer cooking time. They don't go soft and clingy like Indrayani, so they suit dal, usal, amti or fish curry better than curd rice. We aren't repeating the health language on these packs here: buy them because you like the taste and texture.
Red rice (lal tandul) is traditionally grown in parts of the Konkan and the Sahyadri foothills. Soak for 30–60 minutes and start with about 1 cup of rice to 2½–3 cups of water.
- ORGANIC ORIGINS Red Rice, 1 kg, ₹231, Sakhi SHG, Kolhapur.
Brown rice is ordinary rice with the bran left on, rather than a separate variety. It cooks in roughly the time red rice takes.
- SONIYA Brown Rice, 1 kg, ₹204, Soniya Women SHG, Nandurbar.
Black rice has a dark purple-black bran that turns the cooking water (and anything cooked with it) purple. It's the slowest of the three. Soak it for a few hours or overnight, and cook it on its own rather than mixing it into a pot of white rice, unless you want everything purple. Many families use it for kheer or as a small side rather than as everyday rice.
- SONIYA Black Rice, 1 kg, ₹348, Soniya Women SHG, Nandurbar.
Whole-grain rice keeps for a shorter time than white rice once opened, because the bran contains oil that can go stale. Buy 1 kg at a time and keep it airtight in a cool cupboard.
Local names worth knowing
Some packs carry local names that don't map neatly onto a single, well-documented variety. They're worth trying, but go in with an open mind and a 1 kg pack:
- INDIRA GANDHI Shirala Rice, 1 kg, ₹181, Indira Gandhi Mahila SHG, Sangli. Shirala is a rice-growing taluka in Sangli known for its many local paddy types, so "Shirala rice" names the place rather than one variety, and the listing doesn't say which variety is inside.
- SHIVASHAKTI Daptari Rice, 1 kg, ₹174, Shivashakti Mahila SHG, Nashik.
- GULAB Bhavadya Tandul, 1 kg, ₹228, Gulab Women SHG, Dhule.
- SHABARI Khushabu Tandul, 1 kg, ₹183, Shabari Mata Women SHG, Nandurbar. "Khushabu" just means fragrant, so this is a description of the rice, not a variety name.
For any of these, start the way you'd cook Indrayani (rinse, a short soak, about 1:2 rice to water). Then adjust the water the second time, depending on whether it came out too firm or too soft.
More Indrayani, if that's your rice
Since our Indrayani guide was written, Indrayani has also arrived from women's groups in Nandurbar and Dhule: VISHAKHA, 1 kg, ₹198 and SHABARI, 1 kg, ₹183 (both Nandurbar), and GULAB, 1 kg, ₹216 and RIYA, 1 kg, ₹216 (both Dhule). The Indrayani guide explains how it compares with basmati.
Poha: white or red?
Poha is rice that has been soaked, roasted or steamed, and pressed flat. The rice it's made from decides its colour and bite.
- White poha is what most kanda pohe and batata pohe are made with. RAYERI Gavathi White Poha, Ekvera SHG, Raigad: 500 g at ₹150.40 or 1 kg at ₹204. The 1 kg pack is much better value if poha is a weekly breakfast.
- Red poha is made from red rice, so it's reddish-brown, nuttier and chewier, and it takes a little longer to soften. ORGANIC ORIGINS Red Poha, 500 g, ₹177, Sakhi SHG, Kolhapur.
The usual mistake with poha is too much water. Rinse it in a colander under running water for a few seconds, drain it and let it sit for 5–10 minutes. Press a flake between your fingers before you start the tadka: it should squash easily without going mushy. Red poha may need a splash more water or a few more minutes.
Which rice for which dish
| You're making | Reach for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday varan-bhaat, khichdi, curd rice | Indrayani or Kolam | Soft, slightly clingy, mild |
| Jeera rice, pulao, a rice for guests | Chinnor or Ajara Ghansal | Fragrant, firm, grains stay separate |
| Pej, or rice with fish curry and solkadhi | Ukda tandul | Holds its shape through long cooking |
| Rice with usal, amti or dal, if you like a chewier grain | Red or brown rice | Nutty, firm, filling |
| Kheer or a small dark side dish | Black rice | Striking colour, nutty |
| Kanda pohe, dadpe pohe, chivda | White or red poha | Poha, not rice |
Storing rice well
- Airtight, cool and dry. A steel dabba or a sealed jar away from the stove and the sink is fine.
- Small batches for whole-grain rice and poha. Red, brown and black rice and poha go stale faster than white rice. Finish them within a couple of months of opening.
- Watch for weevils (ghun) in the monsoon. Many households add a few dried neem leaves or a couple of dry red chillies to the dabba. If you do find insects, sieve the rice, spread it in sunlight for a few hours, and use that batch soon.
- Small differences between batches are normal. SHG-packed rice comes in small lots, so grain colour, polish and the amount of water needed can vary slightly from one bag to the next.
Quick questions
What is ukda tandul in English?
Parboiled rice: paddy that has been soaked, steamed and dried before milling. In the Konkan it's the rice for pej and everyday fish-curry rice.
Is Kolam rice the same as sona masuri?
No. They're both small, fine grains used for everyday rice, but they are different varieties from different regions. Kolam is a name used mainly in Maharashtra and neighbouring states. Sona masuri is grown mainly in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka.
Which Maharashtra rice is GI-registered?
Ajara Ghansal (Kolhapur, 2016) and Bhandara Chinnor (Bhandara, 2023) are two GI-registered rices from Maharashtra. Ambemohar, from the Western Ghats foothills of Pune district, is another well-known fragrant rice.
Can I use Chinnor or Ghansal for biryani?
Yes, if you want an aromatic, separate-grained rice without buying basmati. The grains are shorter than basmati, so the biryani will look different, but it will hold its shape and smell lovely.
Why does my red or black rice stay hard?
It almost always needs more soaking and more water. Soak red or brown rice for at least 30–60 minutes and black rice for a few hours. Cook with about 2½–3 cups of water per cup of rice, and give it extra time.
Can I make poha from rice at home?
Not easily. Poha is made by soaking, roasting and flattening paddy, which needs equipment most kitchens don't have. Buy poha separately.
Prices and availability above were checked on 6 October 2026 and can change.
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