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The state of Odisha has seen numerous poets and authors who have highlighted the culture and tradition of the state. With their words woven together like beautiful pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, they have managed to steal the hearts of millions. Let’s meet one such personality who gave Odia literature a new life and identity.
Passed away on 21st August 2004
The world of literature has seen many talented litterateurs who with their amazing word power make our reading experiences more enjoyable. With 121 languages and more than 19,500 dialects, imagine the variations in literature. It has been aptly said by PT Barnum, “Literature is one of the most interesting and significant expressions of humanity.”
One such man who expressed literature as if it was his sole job, who made Odia literature popular throughout the country, who narrated tales of bravery with rhythms of valour, who wove words with passion and patriotism, he is none other than the famous Odia poet, Sachidananda Routray.
Hailing from the Khurda district of Odisha, Routray was brought up in Bengal. Trying his hands at poetry from the tender age of 11, he was involved in the freedom struggle while he was still in school. His revolutionary poems became a source of inspiration for the oppressed Indians, and soon enough they were banned by the Britishers. Yet, he never stopped weaving words that would inspire the generations to come.
Born in Odisha, lived in Bengal, and married a Telugu Princess of Golapalli, Sachidananda was well versed with all the three cultures of Utkal, Banga, and Dakshin and this enabled him to include the cross-cultural links in all his works.
In the year 1932, his first anthology of poems was published called Patheya (Pathway). True to its name, this poem made a path for him to walk up to his destination. After his first work, Sachi’s hands never stopped and he continued to write for another six decades. His writings were not only limited to poems, but prose, manuscripts, short stories, novels, and critics were also an integral part of his life. He was an all-in-one writer.
Being a romantic poet, he was aware of the effect of contemporary life on an individual and made sure that he expressed it with carefully chosen images and words that would not only create a vivid image in the minds of people but also make them aware of this fact.
At the time, when social stratification was quite evident, Routray made sure to focus on the downtrodden to bring the limelight on them and their precarious condition. In fact, in some of his poems like Expedition, Flames of Blood, and The Rural Beauty, he raised his voice against various kinds of exploitations against the downtrodden. Be it a poor farmer or a wage earner, be it a construction worker or a helpless man, everyone found a place in his poems.
One of his most famous poems was Baji Raut. This poem was later translated by Harindra Nath Chattopadhyaya into English and was known by the name of The Boatman Boy and 40 Other Poems. He had written about the short life of a 12-year boy named Baji Raut, and how the boy gallantly fought against the Britishers, lost his life yet did not back out before giving a proper fight. This poem of his had gained a lot of attention in Odisha especially when the Britishers tyrannized the Odia people.
Apart from writing poems, Sachi wrote short stories and novels with equal poise and elegance. Though these were not as famous as his poems, he still managed to achieve a lot of popularity by expressing the feelings and emotions of humanity, the inner conflicts of man, the harsh reality of life and society in a narrative voice that in turn grabbed everyone’s attention.
Traveling to various countries to gain insights about various cultures and traditions of the world, his writings were well versed with a cosmopolitan outlook. Winning many prestigious awards like Padmashree in 1962, Kendriya Sahitya Akademi Award in 1964, Soviet Land Award in 1965, and Jnanapeeth Award in 1980, his hands and mind were always busy thinking about newer and newer ideas that would entertain the masses and teach them something valuable.
Spending 88 years in the laps of literature, he finally took his last breath on 21st August 2004. Even after his death, the amount of fame and respect that he had gained in Odisha as well as in the entire country, can never be forgotten.
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