Braja Sundar Das
Braja Sundar Das | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 2 July 1880 |
| Died | 9 June 1944 (aged 63) |
| Era | British Raj |
Braja Sundar Das (2 July 1880 – 9 June 1944) was a multifaceted Indian statesman, freedom fighter, politician, poet, littérateur, and social reformer who played a significant role in shaping the socio-political and cultural landscape of Odisha.
Das played a central role in lobbying for the unification of Odia-speaking areas; a long struggle that culminated in the creation of Odisha as a separate state on April 1, 1936 (Utkal Divas).[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Braja Sundar Das was born on 2 July 1880 in Koina village, near Jajpur, Odisha. He belonged to a wealthy zamindar lineage, being the son of Shyam Sundar Das and Swarnaprabha Devi. Das inherited his family’s zamindari, the Tisania estate.
As a child, he attended the Collegiate School in Cuttack, where he completed his early education. Later, he earned his B.A. from the prestigious Presidency College, becoming the third person from Odisha to graduate.[2] His time at Presidency College was marked by struggles, as Odia language and literature were not highly regarded in Bengal during that period.
Braja Sundar’s dedication to his motherland and his efforts to revive Odisha’s identity became evident during his student years. At Ravenshaw College, he co-founded an organization called “Kartabya Bodhini” with his friends Gopabandhu Das and Lokanath Patnaik.[3] This group focused on discussing contemporary social, economic, and political issues. These three Ravenshavians played a pivotal role in advocating for the inclusion of Odia as a medium for the B.A. examination at Ravenshaw, which was then affiliated with Calcutta University. While Braja Sundar had already graduated from Presidency College by that time, his efforts ensured that Gopabandhu Das and Lokanath Patnaik became the first students to take their B.A. exams in Odia under the new system.
During his time at Ravenshaw, Braja Sundar Das, along with Gopabandhu Das and Acharya Harihar Das, actively engaged in social work. They nursed the poor and sick in the town, collected funds for underprivileged students, and provided social services to those in need.[4] Later, Braja Sundar and Gopabandhu co-founded the Central Young Utkal Association, which organized batches of volunteers to assist people affected by floods in Odisha.[5]
Freedom Struggle and Political Career
[edit]In February 1920, after Gandhi’s entry into India’s political arena, Braja Sundar Das, under the advice of Madhusudan Das, went to meet Mahatma Gandhi and attract his attention to Odisha’s demand for independent statehood. In that meeting with Braja Sundar, Gandhi expressed his unequivocal decision regarding the formation of provinces on a linguistic basis.[6]
In 1927-28, when the Simon Commission arrived in India, Congress issued a directive to boycott the Commission. The leaders of Odisha at that time deemed it appropriate to press the Odia demand before the Commission for the formation of Odisha as a separate province. Thus, a committee was formed under the leadership of Braja Sundar Das. As a result of the discussions between this committee and the Simon Commission, the latter’s report opined that the demand of the Odia people to annex Odia-speaking areas under one special province is justified. It also opined that all the Zamindari and Princely States be annexed under the proposed Orissa province.[1][7]
Subsequently, in 1931, when the O’Donnell Committee arrived in Odisha, Braja Sundar organised a grand spectacle. He was the Secretary of "Utkal Sammilani" that year. He amassed a large crowd of students and locals, placed a divided Odisha map atop a decorated elephant, and organised a procession through the city of Cuttack. Due to this, though he and his estate suffered a large financial setback, he managed to attract the attention of the Committee and press the demands of his people.[1]
Through different phases of the struggle, Das has been a secretary of the "Utkal Sammilani", as well as, an editor of "Mukura" and "The Odia". He also had an illustrious political career participating in different legislative bodies. He was a Member of the Legislaltive Council (MLC) in the Bihar-Orissa Legislative Assembly (1906 - 1920) and a Member of the Orissa Legislative Assembly (1937 - 1944).[1][8]
Literary and Cultural Contributions
[edit]Braja Sundar Das's commitment to promoting Odia literature and culture, along with his efforts to revive Odisha's independent identity, is evident through his diverse literary contributions in the 20th century. In 1906, he founded the magazine Mukura, a literary publication featuring articles, stories, and poems on a wide range of topics, including nationalism, philosophy, history, religion, culture, science, social reform, and linguistics. The works published in Mukura carried a patriotic undertone, emphasizing the urgent need to rescue the Odia language and identity from its dire state.[9][10][11]
Mukura stood on par with Utkal Sahitya and was a pivotal instrument for disseminating new ideas and literature. Freedom fighters of the time used Mukura as a platform to spread nationalistic sentiments among the general public. It was, in fact, the first literary magazine to focus on nationalistic literature, laying the groundwork for the establishment of many subsequent newspapers.
Braja Sundar Das inherited his passion for publishing from his family; his grandfather, Harekrushna Das, was associated with the Cuttack Printing Company, a pioneering establishment founded by Gourishankar Ray and patronized by T.E. Ravenshaw. In fact, Braja Sundar himself was the director of the company for a long period. In 1910, Braja Sundar Das purchased a press from Puri and established a type foundry using an attractive lead type considered the best in Odisha at the time. As a result, later editions of Mukura were printed at the Mukura Press Premises, established by Das in Bhashakosh Lane, Cuttack.[12]
Through Mukura and the Mukura Press, Braja Sundar Das not only published distinguished literary works but also provided a platform for young talent, many of whom would go on to become literary giants in the Odia language. One notable example is Godabarish Mahapatra, whose poem "Banapur" (1915) caught Braja Sundar's attention. Das helped publish the poem, launching Mahapatra's literary career. Similarly, when Harekrushna Mahatab planned to launch The Prajatantra to further Congress ideals and stir nationalistic fervor, he faced challenges in finding a publishing house. Although Mahatab was hesitant to approach Braja Sundar due to the latter's ideological differences with the Congress party, Das agreed to publish the journal as a gesture of Odia unity. Thus, The Prajatantra was launched and published at Mukura Press.[1]
Das also played a key role in promoting Gopal Chhotray as an eminent litterateur. In 1941, the British Government had appointed Braja Sundar Das as the Chairman of the War Front, tasking him with garnering mass support. As part of this effort, Das organized a one-act playwriting competition to educate the public. Renowned participants included Aswini Kumar Ghose and Kalicharan Patnaik, but it was the young Gopal Chhotray who impressed Braja Sundar with his play "Sagarkanya." Das declared Chhotray the winner on the spot and suggested renaming the play "Sahadharmini." Years later, Chhotray expanded the play into a full-length work titled Sadhana in 1967.[13]
Many young intellectuals began their literary careers through Mukura, making this period known as the Satyabadi Era for its literary and cultural significance.
Legacy
[edit]Braja Sundar Das passed away on June 9, 1944, but his legacy endures. His contributions to Odisha’s political, cultural, and literary advancements remain celebrated. Through the generous donations of his family and the local public, the Braja Sundar Higher Secondary School was established in 1987, the first of its kind in the Jajpur region. Furthermore, his political legacy underscores his lifelong dedication to Odisha and its people.
References
[edit]Citations
- ^ a b c d e ସଂ. (1997). ଯାଜପୁରର ଦୁଇ ଅମ୍ଳାନ ପ୍ରତିଭା – ବିଚିତ୍ରା ନନ୍ଦ ଓ ବ୍ରଜ ସୁନ୍ଦର (in Oriya).
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ ସଂ. (1997). ଯାଜପୁରର ଦୁଇ ଅମ୍ଳାନ ପ୍ରତିଭା – ବିଚିତ୍ରା ନନ୍ଦ ଓ ବ୍ରଜ ସୁନ୍ଦର (in Oriya).
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ "Ravenshaw History - Ravenshaw University". 2021-07-02. Retrieved 2024-12-07.
- ^ Samantaray, Renubala. "Pandit Gopabandhu Das: The Maker of Modern Odisha" (PDF).
- ^ Mohapatra, Ratnakar (2009). "Pandit Gopabandhu Das: As a Unique Personality of Orissa" (PDF).
- ^ Dash, Kailash Chandra (2010). "A Study of the Formation of the
Separate Province of Orissa". Orissa Review.
{{cite journal}}: line feed character in|title=at position 32 (help) - ^ Sahoo, Shridhar Charan (August 2008). "Utkal Ratna Biswanath Mishra : The Forgotten
Pioneer of Oriya Movement". Orissa Review.
{{cite journal}}: line feed character in|title=at position 45 (help) - ^ "Bihar Vidhan Mandal: Search". archives.biharvidhanmandal.in. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ Mohanty, Jatindra Mohan (2006). History of Oriya literature (1st ed.). Bhubaneswar: Vidya. ISBN 978-81-903438-0-0.
- ^ Orissa (India) (1966). Orissa District Gazetteers. Superintendent, Orissa Government Press.
- ^ Singh, Dharam; Singh, Harbans, eds. (1994). Sikhism and secularism: essays in honour of Professor Harbans Singh (1. publ ed.). New Delhi: Harman. ISBN 978-81-85151-90-8.
- ^ ""History of the Press in Odisha From Its Origin to 21st Century: An Inter-Regional Analysis". . ". Utkal Historical Research Journal. XXXV. 2022.
- ^ Satpathy, Sumanyu (2003). "People's Dramatist, Gopal Chhotray: A Tribute". Indian Literature. 47 (1 (213)): 191–196. ISSN 0019-5804.