The Role of Odia Women in Salt Satyagraha : Sarala Devi
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ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review The Role of Odia Women in Salt Satyagraha : Sarala Devi Pradeep Kumar Giri Sarala Devi was one of the most remarkable Congress Movement. She became a prominent personalities of modern Odisha. She was a scholar leader of the Freedom Movement in Odisha. and a reformer. She had an active participation in the National Movement. She was a pioneer of Sarala Devi was a learned scholar, she the women’s movement in Odisha. Sarala Devi wrote some books of great literary merit. In her was born on 9 August 1904 at Balikuda in the work, “Biswabiplabi Mahila”, she has given vivid district of Cuttack in the reputed picture of revolutionary women and Kanungo family. Her uncle was urged upon the women to revolt Balmukund Kanungo, who was a against social conventions and Deputy Collector under the British prejudices, which degraded their Government. Sarala Devi spent her status in the society. She was one of early years till her age was 13, with the nine writers who gave birth to a her uncle, who was posted at Banki. literary movement of the time known Sarala Devi had her primary as “Basanti”. They infused newness education there. During those days in thought, theme and style. there was no scope for higher Progression became its important education of women. Her uncle had feature. She also contributed a good engaged tutor to coach her at home. Through her number of scholarly articles to different journals own perseverance Sarala could teach Bengali, and magazines. Her two essays ‘Kabi Gopal Sanskrit and Odia and quite a little bit of English Krishna Prativa’ and ‘Sarala Mahabharat re Nari from her tutor. While at Banki, Sarala heard about Charitra’ were highly appreciated. Another literary the tales of Suka Devi, the queen of Banki and work of great merit was ‘Pancha Pradeepa’– a felt inspired to undertake the task of liberating collection of one act plays; she was the editor of the country from foreign domination and reforming ‘Mahila Mandal’ of Sahakara, a literary magazine the then society. In 1917, she got married to for a long time. Bhagirathi Mohapatra. Her husband joined the Congress Movement in 1918. This enabled her Sarala Devi expressed progressive and to give vent to her patriotic urge. When Gandhiji humanistic views of the political, educational, first came to Odisha in 1921, Sarala joined the social and economic issues of the time in her essays 84 August - 2016 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 and poems. Thereby she wanted to recognize She played an important and active role in the Odisha’s society on national principles. She Indian freedom struggle. She made all out efforts believed in the maxim, “Pen is mightier than to raise the position and status of women in the sword”. She edited a monthly magazine, ‘Sabita’ society. By her writings she helped in the from Cuttack. It became her chief instrument development of the Odia literature in a significant through which she spread the message of way. patriotism and modern political social ideas among the people of Odisha. She was a stout champion Long after her death, Sarala is still a of the rights of the women. Her efforts were household name all across Odisha as a symbol of directed towards improving the condition of progressive womanhood. The story of her life has women in Odisha through writings, speeches and become source of emotional nourishment and social works. In the following articles published sustenance for millions of women of the state and by her, the life and problems of Odia women had its adjoining areas. Here is typical example of an been portrayed in a vivid and realistic manner so individual taking on a whole system that is working as to attract the attention of the masses. These against the entire class. were ‘Utkalara Nari Samasya’, ‘Nari Dabi’, She cherished the dreams of a brave new ‘Nari Jagat’, ‘Utkalare Nari Jatira Vivinna world designed to advance the interests of women Samasya’, ‘Bharatiya Mahila Prasang’, in the immediate present and of all human beings ‘Kalasachara Nari’, ‘Nari Swadhinata’, ‘Purusha thus threatening the vested interests of religious Jivanare Nari Prabhava’, ‘Bhavijugara Rajaniti O heads, rulers, professionals and leaders, all those Nari’, ‘Sadharana Jivanare Nari’. She edited with a personal stake in perpetuating stereotypes ‘Hindustan Granthamala’ which was first taken of a patriarchal social system. She was a rebel up by famous writer Surya Narayan Das, with a mission, an iconoclast, a social activist problems relating to women and their solutions devoted to reforming society from within. was the main concern of this work. By editing the book she rendered great service to the women Sarala was born in a liberated middle folk of Odisha as it helped to create new class family in 1904. The atmosphere, she was awareness among them. groomed-in was charged with patriotic fervour. She was the Secretary of Utkal Sahitya Calls of Swaraj were in the air. Gandhi Samaj at Cuttack from 1943 to 1946. She was mesmerized the country with his mantra of ahimsa the president of the Madhusudan Pathagar. She and launched the Non-Cooperation Movement did her best to revamp the Sahitya Samaj and in 1920. During his maiden visit to Odisha on improve the Pathagar. Sarala Devi was also a March 23, 1921 Gandhi addressed a small member of the senate of Utkal University and gathering of women in the premises of Binod impressed the academicians of Odisha by her Bihari building at Cuttack. Sarala, a young bride national approach to academic issues. of 17, took active interest in such meetings and participated in the deliberations. That was a Thus Sarala Devi was a great woman in moment of reckoning; Sarala was initiated into a the 20th century. The vision of an independent and new way of life. The confronts of her Zamindar resurgent India guided her thoughts and actions. husband Bhagirathi Mohapatra’s mansion could August - 2016 85 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review not distract her. Rather, she influenced her She played a significant role in exhorting the husband to renounce his robes as the symbol of government to give education and employment an inhuman system. The young couple, without opportunities to the Harijans, to curb the sparing much thought, joined the masses on the exploitation of the poor by money lenders, to streets. They engaged themselves in the promotion open agriculture and land mortgage banks for rural of khadi and national education. They actively artisans and farmers. She took the initiative to open participated in the battle against untouchability for Kaibalya Kutir, a hostel for Harijans at Cuttack. the imposition of prohibition. Through their efforts, She waged war against the black marketeers and they became the driving force behind Alakashram. greedy businessmen too. She also suggested the opening of separate wings for law, commerce and Sarala’s fervour continued unabated labour departments in the legislative assembly. But through the Civil Disobedience Movement of women’s education perhaps topped her list of 1930. She went to extensive tours in the interior priorities. She stressed on the appointment of lady villages of Ganjam district and inspired the sanitary inspectors. She introduced the Child common people, especially the illiterate and Marriage Restraint Act (Odisha Amendment) sheltered women to participate in the Mahayagna (1936) and the Dowry Abolition Bill (1936) in of Satyagraha. the Provincial Assembly and the Odisha Hindu Picketing in front of the liquor shops and Women’s Right or Property Bill during the term boycotting government programmes were of the second minority coalition government in routine, but promoting the cause of women Odisha. through proper education. While on her way to Sarala was also a talented writer. In her Palasa to address a gathering, she was arrested early youth she joined the pioneers of Sabuja at Berhampur railway station on May 31, 1930 Dhara, a group of promising writes of the era: and sentenced to six months in prison after she Annada Shankar Ray, Baikunthanath Pattnaik, was trialed in the Sub- Divisional Court of Kalindi Panigrahi, Harihar Mohapatra and Sarat Chhatrapur. Subsequently, she was sent to the Chandra Chatterjee. The author of the novel women’s jail at Vellore. Basanti was called fire brand by her The most significant aspect of this episode contemporaries. of Odisha’s history is the massive protest rally Annada Shankar gracefully recollected against the brutal police action on the Devi his association with her in an autobiographical (goddess) of their hearts. This was a unique event piece, Pratham Yauvan published in the Ananda during those days, more so in the Garjat ruled Bazaar Patrika Puja Special in 1995. But, there sector of Bihar-Odisha state and was a testimony was a marked difference between the Sabuja of Sarala’s popularity and mass appeal. writers and Sarala: the Sabujas were dreamers Sarala was one of the first women but Sarala was a realist. legislators of Odisha. She was elected from Sarala created a consciousness through Cuttack in the first general election (1937) to the her essays published in periodicals like Asha, Provincial Assembly where she held her sway. Nabeen, Utkal Sahitya and Sahakara. Her voice 86 August - 2016 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 struck a blow to a patriarchal society which for at work and within the family, as well as conscious ages had oppressed women. In her essays she action by men and women to change the said lashed out sarcastically against this social system. condition”, Sarala no doubt is Odisha’s pioneering feminist voice. A few instances – Kanya-Suna-Katha, (The story of women exchanged for gold), Another woman freedom fighter of Adhunik Yugara Odia Nari (The modern Odia Odisha who fought against the British Imperialism women), Hindu Samajare Narira Samasya o and exploitation was Smt.