Odisha Review April - May - 2014

Role of Venketeshwar Deo on Odia Movement

Chittaranjan Mishra

Odisha disintegrated after 1568, with the death held at Paralakhemundi on 26-27 December of Mukunda Dev, the last independent ruler in 1914 that “Can you say that I am alive if you cut Gohiri Tikir War. The Bhois in Khurda, the off my head and keep it at , throw my trunk Bhanjas in Ghumsur and Mayurbhanja and the into the Bay of Bengal and keep up my legs in the Chauhans in Sambalpur rose into prominence. The Madras Hospital ? This is the condition of our attempts of the Mughals, the Maratha and the Utkal Mother who is lying dead being disfigured French failed to consolidate their position for a and separated from her body. “In the year 1902 longer period in Odisha. But very cunningly and Ganjam Odias sent a memorandum to Lord diplomatically the Britishers became successful to Curzon in which they spoke of themselves as “a establish their control and political influence over limb separates from the body.” Odisha by suppressing the Mughals, Maratha and In course of time the enlightened and French power. East Company conquered progressive minded Odias were greatly alarmed Odisha in a phased manner, first the Southern part, at the increasing socio, political, economic and then the coastal region and finally the Sambalpur cultural backwardness of Odisha and prepared and the adjoining tracts. For their administrative themselves to face the challenge for amalgamation convenience they integrated Southern Odisha with of Odia speaking tracts. The pioneer of this Madras Presidency in 1766, the coastal Odisha movement was Katingia Raja Venketeshwar Deo. with Bengal Presidency in 1803 and the Western Odisha with Central Provinces in 1849. Both ‘Katingia was a small Zamidari of official and non-official attempts were made to which is presently situated in introduce Bengali in Balasore District, Telugu in Panchayat of Balliguda Sub-Division. Ganjam and Koraput Districts and Hindi in King Harihara Singh died heirlessly in1851. Sambalpur District. This territorial Widow queen Padmavati Devi handed over the dismemberment of Odisha injuriously affected Zamidari to his younger brother Venketeshwar linguistic, cultural and economic interests of the Deo in the year1864 just two years before her Odias. As a result and culture was death i.e. in 1866. Venketeshwar Deo was the in a grave danger. Observing this pathetic younger brother of Chikiti Raja Pitambar condition of Odisha Raja of Manjusa remarked Rajendra Deo and son of Nilambar Deo. He was in the Tenth session of Utkal Union Conference a benevolent, and an Odia language lover king.

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He shouldered the responsibility of Katingia The gist of the memorandum was Zamidari in a critical and crucial period. Odisha published in the “Utkal Dipika” on 18th October witnessed a devastating natural calamity i.e. famine 1873, as follows: of 1866. Its severity was so terrible that about a third of the population died. This ghastly nature 1. Ganjam people may kindly be allowed of the famine displayed serious defects in British to correspond their grievances in Odia script. Administration and lamentable neglect of the vital 2. All records should be made in Odia. problem of the development of Odisha. 3. Odia language should be the medium of To save Odisha from this grave danger education in all schools. and to awaken the Odia race a number of Associations were formed in different part of 4. And, the students should allow to appear Odisha, such as “Utkal Bhasa Vidhayini Sabha”- their examination in Odia script. 1866, “Cuttack Debating Club”-1869, “Cuttack Young Men’s Association”-1869, “Odia But to his misfortune he became the Hitabadini Sabha”-1872 etc. Katingia Raja eyesore of the British Government. British Venketeshwar Deo organized a meeting at Government became vigilant on Venketeshwar th Rasulkunda (Bhanjanagar) in 1870 to create Deo. At last on 25 April 1874, Rupasingh with intense love for Odia Language, to make Odias the help of local Kandha leader Parsuram Kanhar conscious about the dismemberment problem of joined hands with British Agent Mr. Forbes and Odisha and to instigate them to join in the Odia got a decree for the estate. Venketeshwar Deo movement. He invited all the Associations, Rayat was dethroned by the British authority and Heads, Mutha Heads, Zamidars, local Kings and Raghunath Singh the illegitimate son of Rupa Singh some educated Odias to attend the conference. was placed on the throne. This conference was a grand success one After loss of Zamidari, he became with the presence of the Rayat heads of Hadagada depressed, poverty stricken and ill. He was Mutha (Tikabali), Chakapad Khondam, Athar permitted to reside in Peda Khemundi (Bada Mutha and Bara Mutha heads. The kings of Khemundi) region. Finally he was received a Karada, Ranaba, Gadapur of Kandhamal District, Sananda on payment of annual Nazarana of the kings of Palur, Huma, Ganja, Mahuri, Surangi, Rs.50/-. Atlast he passed away from this world Jarada, Purbakhanda, Khallikote, Athagada, in 1883 before the birth of Utkal Sammilani. The Ghumsur, Sorada, Khemundi, Chikiti, Jalantar, footprints he left on the soil of Odisha on the way Manjusha, Paralakhemundi, etc. also attended this of Odia movement will remain forever in the conference. As a result “Odia Hitabadini Sabha” memory of Odias. got its birth in the year 1872, with the leadership of Venketeshwar Deo. He acted as the Secretary of this Association and sent a memorandum to the Court of the Queen of England by the hands of Kalipada Bandopadhyaya, who had been to England to submit financial statement of Madras Chittaranjan Mishra, Principal, Panchayat College, Presidency. Phiringia.

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