Dalma goes northOdias nearly dropped their lunch when Uttar Pradesh Tourism introduced ‘Moong ka Dalma’ as a Kasganj speciality. A dish long associated with Odisha and Lord Jagannath’s traditions has apparently packed its bags and migrated north. Social media quickly assembled for a rescue mission, armed with screenshots, history lessons and wounded pride. As criticism simmered, the post quietly disappeared.No generation gapThe social media craze for AI-generated 1980s-style portraits has even caught the attention of Odisha govt’s transport department. While users across platforms are busy imagining and sharing how they might have looked in the 1980s, the state transport authority (STA) has turned the trend into a road safety awareness campaign. The STA emphasised that safety transcends generations: “Whether it’s the 1980s or 2026, helmets are non-negotiable ... When our fathers rode two-wheelers, they wore helmets, and so do we…”Tank beats floodWhen rumours of devastating floods reached a village in Dhenkanal, one man took preparedness to new heights, literally. In an inebriated state, he climbed atop a water tank. Fire personnel spent a night bringing him down. Social media promptly declared him Odisha’s most overenthusiastic flood-management expert.Celebrity trophyNo sooner had Bhubaneswar’s two wards won recognition under the National Clean Air Programme, bouquets bloomed, cameras flashed and smiles multiplied. Mayor Sulochana Das and commissioner Chanchal Rana flew to Delhi to collect the honour, then returned for another round of photo ops with housing and urban development minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra. For a few days, the little trophy enjoyed celebrity status.Presidential selfieBarabati-Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdous recently attended a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Like any responsible public representative in the smartphone era, Sofia ensured the moment reached social media before nostalgia could set in. The interaction was meaningful, discussions serious and memories lifelong. But let us be honest, a meeting with the president comes with one unwritten duty: posting the photographs before someone else tags you.Handbag headlinesAt Odisha’s investors’ meet in Dubai, chief secretary Anu Garg’s handbag achieved what many policy documents can only dream of: viral public attention. The luxury accessory became the unofficial star of the event, attracting more zoom-ins than the MoUs signed. Social media sleuths inspected every angle as though it contained classified investment projections. Yet in a state where every rupee is carefully stretched, the handbag has transformed into a travelling debate.(Contributed by Team TOI)