Odisha Review August - 2013

Kalandi Charan Panigrahi : A Story Teller of Eminence (1901-1991) Dr. Subash Nayak

Three sons and four daughters were born to the the Indian freedom movement through his pen. erstwhile freedom fighter Sri Swapneswar His creations were timeless relishing to the Panigrahi and Saraswati Panigrahi of Biswanathpur creators. He wrote against the autocratic kings of Balipatana Block in Puri district. The three sons and the erstwhile British administration. were Dibya Singh Panigrahi, Kalandi Charan He was always conscious of his self Panigrahi and Bhagabati Panigrahi among whom respect. This is clear from the incident described Padmashree Kalandi Charan Panigrahi was a below. Once he came to Dhenkanal Palace as versatile genius and a front line writer of his time. Eastern State Publicity Officer when the king of The Path of was flourishing Dhenkanal identified him as the brother of with the beautiful creations of the poets of the Bhagabati Panigrahi, he immediately replied that “Sabuja Yuga”. All the poets of the age were he is the elder brother of Bhagabati which shows young and students of Ravenshaw College. The that he had enough confidence on his own identity. noted poets like Kalandi Charan Panigrahi, He maintained a clear perspective for the Annada Shankar Ray, Baikunthanath Pattnaik, Indian Freedom Movement. “Matira Manisha” Sharat Chandra Mukherjee and Harihar was his best creation which was conceived on Mohapatra were the poets of the age and they the backdrop of the Non-cooperation Movement formed a club named “Nonsense Club.” Under initiated by Mahatma Gandhi. He has the auspices of the club, a handwritten magazine amalgamated the subject on the traditional faith “Abakash” was published which was named later and lifestyle of the Odias. Among his writings as “Shakti Sadhana”. The writings of those poets “Matira Manisha” has brought him fame though created flutter in the perspective of Odia literature he has created “Luhara Manisha”, “Adima of the time. Manisha”, “Mukta Gadara Khyudha”, “Amar Padma Shree Dr. Kalandi Charan Chitta” for Odia literature. Panigrahi is one among them who has created a As a story teller he is unique. He has new epoch in Odia literature and has reflected contributed “Rashi Fula”, “Shesa Rashmi”, the agony of his state. He was the creator of the “Sagarika”, “Vadrasha”, “Mo Kathati Sarinahin” “Sabuja Yuga”, “Matira Manisha” which has etc. to Odia literature. He was also a dramatist, created flutter in the contemporary Odia literature essayist and critic. During his youth he was was his creation. He was nationalist who fueled

94 August - 2013 Review attracted by the inspirations from youth. But in came accross “Barju”, the central character of later life he was concerned about the body and his novel. He heard the sorrowful tale of his life the being. from his own mouth. He has been stunned to hear After Fakir Mohan, Kalandi Charan is the tearful experience of his life. The pathetic tale the second revolutionist in Odia novels and short of Barju has fueled a desire to paint the character stories. Kalandi Charan was a promising writer. and the contemporary society around him. He started writing from his student days and The theme and the thought depicted in accumulated knowledge from the pain and anguish his poems are multifaceted. He is equally romantic of the erstwhile society which never iosates in his and progressive. He has been hypnotised by expositions as a writer. In the assent of his literary nature and his past but his poetry is more or less creation all his dreams have been shattered and he has accepted the sorrows and sufferings of humanistic. In the history of Odia Literature he the sons of this soil. He has made their tears his has the ability to write both prose and poetry. own. The changes in the social and political life of The poet has been ruminating over his the then society has been placed in his novels. sweet past. In fact the past is a great wealth of a Kalandi Charan was a poet of hypnotic man. Sometimes detachment is seen in his poetry beauty, a poet of country life and its enduring but it is transient. Like all other poets of the Sabuja owes. His aim was to enchant the heart of man. Yuga, Kalandi Charan in his early poems upholds There was dream in his poetry, a struggle to love and describes as divine. There is no sin in liberate the common man from his sufferings. His love nor it has any pretence. It is natural with man. love for nature was not arts for love and its In his poems like “ Ashesa Swarga”, fulfillment but for unconditional love for humanity. “Prasadhana” and “Pathar Premika”, he has His love for humanity is loud and clear in his poetry. expressed such emotions. “Chhuritie Loda” is a For this he appeals to be more progressive from challange. This is a strong support of the ailing his other contemporaries. Nature and man are soul of man. His book “ Saburi Kabita” contains the two sides of a coin. So a nature lover should poems like “Lalita”, “Puri Mandira”, “Madhu be a humanist which is generally seen in Rabindra Bibaha”, “Faguna Bansi”, “Sandhyaloka” etc. All literature and this has been seen in many angles his poems express different facets of his life. He in the poetry of Kalandi Charan. is sometimes very progressive in his poems like “Mane Nahin”, “Mahadeepa”, “Jadughar”, “Kie Sala Saitan”, “Kshyanika “Khyanika Satya”, “Chhuritie Loda” are the Satya”. His poems like “Lohita Byatha” and story poetry collections of the poet where he ruminates like “Mansara Bilap” are very popular. over his past. Kalandi Charan in the beginning of his career was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi “Ratira Manisha” of Kalandi Charan was and the freedom movement. All his earlier influenced by “Manishara Bilash”. On the inspirations were transferred into his writing in perspective of Indian National Movement, shape of novels especially his great epic of the Kalandi Charan’s “Matira Manish” describes the soil “Matira Manisha”. The “Matira Manisha” of joint family system of Odisha and its agro-based Kalandi Charan is based on a real story while social life, exploitation of princely states, famine walking along the path of life Kalandi Charan and erstwhile administration.

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“Ratira Manisha” embodies the time, “Priyadarshi” was a successful historical society and the soul of man. Hence it may be drama of Kalandi Charan, all the historical called an epic novel. Though it has been written characters in the novel are shown neatly. The in the backdrop of the National Movement still it drama “Soumya” & “Padmini” are the other delineates happiness, joy, love, envy like dramas of Kalandi Charan. psychological and moral quality of man. The In his “Prabandhu Sahitya” (1960) dreams, ideals, unity and revolution of Gandhiji published were the essays on Upendra Bhanja, had been embodied in a family story. Fakir Mohan, Premchand & Rabindranath Apart from his novels and poetry another Tagore. He has written on the literary works of direction is his short stories. His story collection great literature in his essay collection “Samayika like “Dahani”, “Rasifula” and “Sagarika” have Sahitya Samikshya”. made him popular among the readers of Odisha. At length at the fag end of his life he has Kalandi was an artist of humanism and writer on turned to write his autobiography which was social awareness. Man and his surroundings are published periodically in Kalana, an Odia journal. the main theme of his stories. He chose his characters from common man in a country setting, After a long successful literary career he has told about a common man in his stories Kalandi Charan breathed his last in 1991. It was like “Sesa Rashmi” and “Mo Kathati Sarinahin”, an irrepairable loss for Odia literature. For his “Mansara Bilap” are the best stories of Kalandi successful literary carreer he was awarded Padma Charan, which have been translated in many Bhusan by Hon’ble President of . foreign languages, wherein the story describes the References : love between Dora, a grey hound and Jolly, the 1. Kalandi Charan Panigrahi- Dr. Adikanda Sahoo, deer. All his stories exhibit a picture of the country Odia Sahitya Academy-2001. life of Odisha. 2. Matira Nandini- Ashish Ranjan Mohapatra 1999. Kalandi Charan was also an essayist. In 3. Odia Upanyasara Itibruti- Dr. Ranjita Nayak . the assent of Odia essay or literature “Ananta Prema”, “Mahasrita”, “Joubanara Prabhab”, 4. Odia Sahityara Itibruti - Unique Publisher, . “Tyaga O Prema”, “Satya Shiva Sundar” are 5. Ama Galpa & Ekankika- Board of Secondary Edn. notable . He has expressed his ideas in a clear style in his essays. All his essays display the ideas as a literature but not a social scientist. The essays are based on literary ideals and its problems and Dr. Subash Nayak, At- SriRam Nivas, Badahat, on the life of literature. P.O. Bhuban, Dist. Dhenkanal- 759017.

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