Odisha Review April - May - 2014

Utkalmani Gopabandhu : The Man and His Mission

Dr. Saroj Kumar Panda

Pandit Gopabandhu Dash was popularly known for cholera patients at Puri. He was leading a team as Utkalmani or the Gem of . He was to aid flood victims when he heard of his son’s born on 9th October 1877 at Suando village of serious illness. But he remained to serve the locals Satyabadi in Puri district. He was son of rather than return home to see his son. His spirit Swarnamayee Devi and Daitari Dash. After of service and sacrifice finds an echo in his completion of primary education in village school, following lines, “ Let my body mingle in the dust Gopabandhu was admitted at Puri Zilla School in of my motherland and let my countrymen walk 1893 where he came in contact across it; and let my flesh and with a genius as well as bones fill in the potholes of my nationalist teacher Mukhtiar country’s self –independence.” Ram Chandra Dash. From him While pursuing his study he learnt many nationalistic in Law in Kolkata, he started a values. Labour Union and founded He attended night schools for Odia labours Ravenshaw College, and cooks. During this time he for higher study where he along came in contact with the Vande with his friends like Mataram group which infused Brajasundra Das and Acharya in him the Swedeshi spirit. His Harihar Das made new mission was to reform commitment to serve the poor society through improving the and destitute. During this education system. After coming period he started Kartavya back from Kolkata, in August Bodhini Samiti (Duty 1909, he established a school Awakening Society) to famous as Satyabadi Vana encourage his friends to do Vidyalaya at Sakhigopal near their duty as citizens and take on social, economic Puri. Gopabandhu started this man-making and political problems. Earlier he had started a factory by getting inspiration from Shanti Niketana voluntary corps in Puri known as Puri Seva which was set up earlier by Rabindranath Tagore. Samiti for the victims of cholera. This movement His main objective was to inculcate nationalism later led to establishment of a separate hospital

32 April-May - 2014 Odisha Review and patriotism among the youths through like amalgamation of all the Odia-speaking tracts, education, so that they could be able to fight for permanent measures for the prevention of floods social justice and political emancipation. Because and famines in Odisha, the restoration of Odia’s Gopabandhu was aware of the then social right to manufacture salt free from excise duty and maladies like casteism, superstitions, untouchability spread of education on Satyabadi model. He was and lethargy. He wanted to remove these through elected president of Utkal Sammilani in 1919. He progressive and humanitarian education. also became the first President of the Congress Party in Odisha. On his request, Gandhiji visited During his youth, Gopabandhu was Odisha in 1921. During Non-Cooperation involved in literary activities and showed his Movement, Pandit Gopabandhu was arrested for excellence by stressing upon tradition. He believed two years. Gopabandhu was also the pioneer of that a national superstructure of the present can press freedom in Odisha. On the request of Lala endure only if it is based upon the solid foundations Lajpat Ray, he became a member of Servant of of the national heritage. He also published a People Society and later in 1928 elected as the monthly literary magazine named Satyabadi vice-President of the Society. He always laid through which he spread the message of th stress on language as the foundation of unity and nationalism to the masses. Later on 4 October regarded politics as an instrument of service to 1919, on the auspicious day of Vijayadashami the people. he started the weekly newspaper The Samaj . It became the most popular newspaper of Odisha. Pandit Gopabandhu Dash was a versatile personality. He was an eminent writer and poet. Pandit Gopabandhu’s political exposure He completed his education as an orphan and began with Utkal Sammilani in 1903. He lost his wife and son when he was a young man. persuaded others to make the Odia movement a He carried on his writings even during this adverse part of the Indian National Movement. In an conditions. Some of his poems like Kara Kabita, article in Satyabadi he wrote, “It is not unlikely Dharmapada, Bandira Atma Katha etc. testify that Odisha may lose her identity altogether as his writing skill. Gopabandhu fell ill when attending result of the national movement; and we must be a fund raising ceremony in Lahore for the flood prepared for this supreme sacrifice. If like victims of Odisha. He never recovered and died Dadhichi’s sacrifice, Odisha’s sacrifice can save on 17th June 1928. He was certainly the shining the nation, won’t it be our good fortune ? But this gem and great son of Odisha State. was far from true because by restoring every part of the country to its natural health only the general References : health could be achieved. A healthy, prosperous 1. , Utkalmani in Odia, Cuttack, and strong unified Odisha was the fulfillment of 1999. the national objective. Joining the national 2. Chandrasekhar Rath, Pandit Gopabandhu, movement, was opening of the blood channel Bhubaneswar,1995. connecting Odisha with the rest of the country.” 3. Odisha Review. Gopabandhu Dash was member of Utkal Sammilani from 1903 to 1921. He was also a member of the old and Odisha Legislative Council from 1917 to 1921. He always laid Dr. Saroj Kumar Panda, Principal, Gadibrahma Degree emphasis and demanded for welfare of Odisha College, Delang, Puri.

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