Several legends are associated with the origin of Manohara, but the most popular one is linked to Kaliprasad Mukherjee, the zamindar of Janai and a Dewan of the East India Company. According to local accounts, around 1870, a British official requested a sweet that could remain fresh for more than a week. The order was entrusted to a local confectioner, Nyara Moira. To meet the challenge, he coated the sandesh in thick sugar syrup, creating a protective shell that helped preserve it for longer. The British official reportedly loved the sweet, and it came to be known as Manohara.