The Odisha Story

 Collated X posts in original by Tusar Nath Mohapatra (b. 1956) 

Odisha has a long history of being a melting pot of diverse religions and schools of Darshana. Significantly, #SriAurobindo's philosophy has the largest following and mass penetration in Odisha now. Ordinary persons being aware of Evolution and SAVITRI is not a small achievement.

The way Tamil linguistic nationalism has asserted itself to resist dominant influences in post-Independent India is exemplary. Odisha similarly has a long history and a vibrant language. Preservation of its purity and versatility is the responsibility of all those who love Odia.

There are attempts now to suppress diverse religious sentiments prevailing in Odisha by imposing one humongous icon owing to commercial and other motives. Let's hope this doesn't succeed.

Three-day long Raja is the most popular festival in Odisha having deep ecological implications. Swings signifying oscillation between expansion and contraction as the mystery of creation is another dimension. The Life Divine by #SriAurobindo helps to understand such occult truths. 

Manabasa or Lakshmi puja in Odisha emphasises upon cleanliness, regularity, and order. When The Mother too insists upon such qualities, she is not simply reiterating the Puritan ethics but drawing from the Vedic essence of things as elaborated in The Mother book by Sri Aurobindo.

My political awareness crystallised when Harekrushna Mahatab broke away from Congress and formed the Odisha Jana Congress in 1966 which merged into JP's Janata Party in 1977 along with Utkal Congress (BLD) of Biju Patnaik. Knew about Sri Aurobindo's opposition to Congress, later.

Barabati, Sisupalagada, Kharabela, Dharama, Kalapahada, etc. remain mysteries of Odisha's history. World is full of such legends through which our life navigates. Added to that, fictions are being published everyday. Amidst all this, The Mother & Sri Aurobindo are the only truth.

Neither Odisha nor Odia is known much in our country. But there are many good reasons to be aware of Odia language and culture. Odia being very similar to Hindi and Bengali can be learnt very easily. Sambalpuri songs like Rangabati are popular at the international level. #ଓଡ଼ିଆ

Located at the confluence of North, South, and East, Odisha has the advantage of having the best of different cuisines. Fish is widely consumed and Chilika lake is famous for crabs. Pakhala (soaked rice) and Dalma (vegetables and lentils) are two unique dishes which are popular.

Sri Aurobindo's birthday is being celebrated today in thousands of Centres in India and abroad. It's one of the four Darshan days which hold immense significance for The Mother & Sri Aurobindo's devotees. Odisha has the largest number of Study Circles, Relics Centres, and Schools. 

Odia is certified as the only classical language in the whole of north India apart from Sanskrit which is pan-Indian. ସଂସ୍କୃତ (ଯାହା ସର୍ବ ଭାରତୀୟ ଅଟେ) ବ୍ୟତୀତ ସମଗ୍ର ଉତ୍ତର ଭାରତରେ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଏକମାତ୍ର ଶାସ୍ତ୍ରୀୟ ଭାଷା ଭାବରେ ପ୍ରାମାଣିକତା ହାସଲ କରିଛି। Beauty of its script and pronunciation, great.

Some have expressed many misconceptions about Odia. It may have some affinity with Assamese, Bengali, & Bihari languages but it's also quite different in terms of script and pronunciation. Schwa in Odia is one of its distinctions. This of course is not true for Sambalpuri dialect. 

Like other languages of India, Odia has a very rich treasure of literature which are gradually becoming unsuitable for modern times. What is relevant for current use is the golden era songs of the fifties and sixties. Chandra malli hase of Akshaya Mohanty is a good sample of it.

In India we lacked good English books which can make some impression in the formative years. But regional languages had plenty. Even today many of them are unmatched. I haven't read it but Nila Shaila of Surendra Mohanty in Odia is rated highly. MNS's Abhishapta Gandhaba another.

Bhubaneswar has:

1) Sisupalgarh, a fortified city, flourished from 5th century BCE.

2) Udayagiri and Khandagiri have finely and ornately carved caves built during 1st century BCE.

3) Dhauligiri has Rock Inscription of Ashoka.

4) Lingaraja Temple was built during sixth century CE.

Although Sita Bibaha (1936) is the first Odia film (of which no copy survives except audio recordings), the next one Lalita (1949) can be said to be a real cinema in terms of production. The next Shri Jagannatha (1950), which was also on the religious theme, was hugely successful. 

Bhagabati Charan Panigrahi's Odia short story, Shikara, is known relatively more widely as it was turned into a Hindi film titled Mrigayaa (1976), directed by Mrinal Sen, in which Mithun Chakraborty and Mamata Shankar made their debuts. Sesha Shrabana was remade as Naiyya (1979).

Bhagabati Charan Panigrahi's brother Kalindi Charan Panigrahi (father of Nandini Satpathy and Tushar Panigrahi) is a well-known writer whose famous novel, Matira Manisha was directed by Mrinal Sen as an Odia film in 1966. Interestingly, the producer was Babulal Doshi, a Gujarati.

Lakshmi (1962) was based on Sahar Theke Durey by Sailajananda Mukherjee. Nuabou (1962) on Sarat Chandra's Bindur Chhele. Sadhana (1964) on Chharpatra by Ashapurna Devi. Jeevan Sathi (1964) was adapted from a Bengali story by Sailesh Dey. Last 3 were directed by Prabhat Mukherjee.

ଓଡ଼ିଆ

Kelucharan Mohapatra (1926–2004)

Jayanta Mahapatra (1928–2023)

Ghanashyam Mohapatra (b. 1933)

Shantanu Mohapatra (1936–2020)

Sitakant Mahapatra (b. 1937)

Nirad Narayan Mohapatra (1947–2015)

Manmohan Mahapatra (1951–2020)

Siddhant Mohapatra (b. 1966)

Sona Mohapatra (b. 1976)

Sadhu Meher, who passed away earlier this year, is the most well known actor from Odisha. Beginning his career from Bhuvan Shome (1969), directed by Mrinal Sen, he had received the coveted National Film Award for Best Actor for his role in Ankur (1974), directed by Shyam Benegal.

Although, Odisha had outstanding male singers like Akshaya Mohanty, Pranab Pattnaik, Md. Sikandar Alam, and Raghunath Panigrahi, female voices from West Bengal like Sandhya Mukherjee, Nirmala Mishra, Sipra Bose, and Aarti Mukherji used to dominate film songs in black & white era.

Performance of Priyambada Mohanty Hejmadi in the First Inter-University Youth Festival in Delhi in November 1954 had brought Odissi dance to limelight. Numerous artistes have been attracted to this fascinating classical dance from not only Odisha but also other States and abroad.

Establishment of Rourkela Steel Plant and Township in 1959 turned a magnet for people from outside the State. Apart from business and industrial activities, it provided opportunities for being exposed to language and culture of Odisha including that of the adjoining tribal areas.

Manoj Das (1934–2021), Jayanta Mahapatra (1928–2023), Jiwan Pani (1933–1998), and Jatin Das (b. 1941) have earned international acclaim in their respective fields. International scholars like Hermann Kulke, Uwe Skoda, Arlo Griffths, and Annette Schmiedchen work on Odia or Odisha.

As Director of Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra in Delhi Shobha Deepak Singh was instrumental in integrating Mayurbhanj Chhau from Odisha with many modern ballet productions leading to much creativity and innovation. Krishna Chandra Naik's first ballet Jagdev in 1977 proved pivotal.

Raghurajpur, with its multiple attractions, has become a foca9ol point for most tourists arriving in Odisha. The annual two-day Basant Utsav has been a regular feature since 1993. INTACH has been promoting it as a heritage crafts village since 2000. Vicinity to Puri is a plus point.

https://x.com/SavitriEra/status/1832065911987036266?t=l67Uaw4o-IMZ1Ktl9guYHA&s=19

Countless bureaucrats like Sitakant Mahapatra, Jagannath Prasad Das, Lalit Mansingh, Devdas Chhotray, and Haraprasad Das have expanded the horizon of Odisha and Odia in myriad ways, apart from professional excellence. Various organisations have benefitted through their association.