Alike our ancient statehood, our language is also equally old which is now being accorded classical language status in the country. But by the passage of time now both our language and territory are facing challenges again.
First day of April, the formation day of our state. Eighty-nine years back our state was formed on the basis and strength of its language and has the distinction of first ever state in the country formed on the basis of language. The same day is also observed as Fools day worldwide. This may be a mere coincidence that when the whole world is celebrating world’s Fools day we are observing our Statehood day. But if we will introspect, then definitely a feeling will come that in the name of giving us statehood, we have been fooled. In the year 1564, the king of France Charles IX changed the New year celebration from Ist of April to Ist of January on the basis of the first month of the calendar. As it was the order of the king, people started celebrating Ist of January as New Year’s Day. But old habit dies hard, some people of France preferred to celebrate April 1st as New Year’s Day. The King’s obedient citizens sarcastically called them fools and since then April 1st is observed as World’s Fools Day.
It may be a mere coincidence that we got our statehood on that day, but we were also equally fooled by the then British rulers when they craved out Saraikala, Kharasuan, Ichhapur, Parbatipur, Tikali, Medinipur, Saraipali, Basana from our state compelling the Odia speaking people of that area to remain in neighbouring states against their will. Two hundred years before Christ, King Kharavel had conquered the areas and Kingdoms of other kings and made a vast Utkal ranging from Ganga to Godavari. But to our misfortune this kingdom was ruled by Moughal, Marahatta and British rulers nearly four hundred years after the defeat of Mukunda Dev.
Our state is the most ancient state having its existence and traces in the mythical period. As per the mythology the state was formed by Vaivaswata Manu. Manu is the most ancient king of Bharat Varsha. He had ten sons. One of them was Illa-Sudyumna who was a hermaphrodite. According to his/her sweet will he/she was changing her sex. While he changed himself to a woman and was known as Illa, she became the mother of Puraraba. In the mail version as Sudyumna he became father of three sons Utkal, Binitaswas and Gaya. When King Manu divided his kingdom among his ten sons, Illa –Sudyumna got one portion of it. Later on, he divided his own kingdom among his three sons. The kingdom which Utkal got named as Utkal, Pratisthan became the Kingdom of Binitaswa and Gayanagar and eastern part became Gaya’s Kingdom. So, our state is the most ancient state having its existence from the period of Manu.
Alike our ancient statehood, our language is also equally old which is now being accorded classical language status in the country. But by the passage of time now both our language and territory are facing challenges again. Some towns and places though physically present in the map of Odisha, the people of that areas are more inclined to the neighbouring states because of affinity of language and also for some freebies schemes offered by the said states to lure their language speaking people. Now Kotia and its surrounding villages in the terrain of Deomali have become point of dispute between Odisha and Andhra. If we procrastinate the issue for long period, we may be compelled to redraw our map again like the period of our statehood in the year 1936.
Similarly, our language is facing huge challenge for its existence. This time not from outside but within. Though our constitution has made it mandatory that primary education to be imparted by the mother tongue, but it is hardly followed by the English medium schools. Besides it is being widely perceived that education through vernacular medium can’t make a student well equipped to compete with the students educated through English medium. So, parents of the present generation irrespective of their financial capability are preferring English medium schools for their children. So the present generation has hardly any emotional bonding towards our language, literature and culture. If this trends continue for a longer period and timely steps not taken for promotion of our language, that days are not far ahead when we will see our language in the list of dead languages. So Utkal Divas should be the day to re-pledge ourselves for practice, promotion and propagation of our language.
Now a new controversy has emerged regarding the name Utkal instead of Odisha in the state anthem and some are in the opinion that Utkal is the area of coastal Odisha not the entire Odisha. Here we should remember that alike the preamble of the constitution which states India that is Bharat, in this case also Utkal is Odisha. Can we stop respecting our national anthem in the pretext that instead of the name Odisha, Utkal has been mentioned ? We all should rise above such parochialism mind set and consider our state as one geographical unit of Kalinga, Kosal, Utkal and Odra which was subsequently named as Odisha. Instead of fighting for the name , we should try to keep the cultural heritage, languages and culture of the state intact rather more vibrant for our future generation.
