Legends of Odisha

Of all the regional cultures, Odisha or the ancient Kalinga played a very conspicuous and vital role in the cultural matrix ofIndian civilization. From the time immemorial Odisha has attracted a large number of scholars, artists and tourists.

Kantakabi Lakshmikanta Mohapatra was born at Bakharabad,Cuttack on 09.12.1888. He hailed from the family of freedom fi ghters and received the honour of Kantakabi in 1934. From his childhood, he was fond of songs, music, drama and literature. By cruel blow of destiny, he was affected by leprosy; but it could not prevent him from pursuing his creative writing. He contributed to all aspects of literary world of Odia literature. He has written beautiful parodies, the most famous among them is “Chataka Chandra Hasa Champu”. Kantakabi used to encourage young writers through his magazine, “Dagara”, which was being published from Bhadrak, Odisha.

When the freedom movement led by Mahatma Gandhi gripped the entire nation, Kantakabi through his patriotic songs used to enthuse the masses. He also actively participated in the movement of unifi cation of Odia speaking areas and penned down “Bande Utkal Janani”, the song which has been accorded the State Anthem by the Odisha State. He breathed his last on 24.02.1953. He lives in the heart of Odia people through his immortal work.

Born on 08.01.1926 at Raghurajpur village in Puri, Kelucharan Mohapatra, is widely known as father of architect of Odissi dance. The story of his artistic experience touchesall the salient features of the cultural life of Odisha and has become the story of growth and recognition of ‘Odissi style’ as one of the classical dances of India.

Fondly known as Guruji, he established himself as a dancer and choreographer with the Annapurna “B” Theatre in Cuttack in 1940. He established his own distinct style and developed further dances in a systematic and precise manner. He travelled widely for popularizing Odissi dance and was associated with Odissi Research Centre in Bhubaneswar for more than a decade.

In 1966, Guruji received the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. He was conferred with Padmashree in 1974 and Padma Bhushan in 1988. In 1993, Guruji established “Srjan” in Bhubaneswar, as a humble offering to dance, music and rich national ethos. Throughout his lifetime, he made over 200 solo compositions and about 50 dance ballets to his credit and over 5000 students from across the world learned Odissi dance from him. For him, dance was a Sadhana and teaching, a Dharma. His demise on 07.04.2004 was a personal loss to many worldwide, who knew him through his dance and love for national ethos. His legacy lives on.

Parbati Ghose a.k.a. Chapala and Chandana was a legend in the Odia Film Industry. She was born in Cuttack, Odisha in 1942. She came from a family rich in culture and education. She got indulged with dancing lessons from great exponents like Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, Guru Dayal Sharma and Guru Suresh Routray. From a very young age she participated in a lot of social causes and State celebrations like Rabindra Jayanti. She got involved in All India Radio and participated in the social and cultural programmes of the Praja Socialist Party.

The huge success of the movie “Sri Jagannath” was defi ning moment of her long and memorable career. In 1953, she was offered the lead role in “Amari Gaan Jhua” opposite Gour Ghose. In 1956, she played a leading role in “Bhai Bhai” a sensitive story of division of caste and wealth. She also acted in National award winning movies “Laxmi” in 1962, “Kaa” in 1965 and “Stree” in 1968. Later, she kept her passion alive through acting in TV serials and Radio plays and soon conferred the top most status in both. She also made short films like “Sankalp”, “Surakhya” and “Amari Gaan” for Family Welfare Department, Government of Odisha. She breathed her last on 12.02.2018, leaving behind her imprint and legacy in the Odia Film Industry.

The music of Akshya Kumar Mohanty combined the nativeness of Odisha in all its forms – folk, classical and emerging. He was the most sought after music Director of Odia Film Industry who is widely known for his romantic songs. He was also a singer of repute and a lyricist. He experimented with themes and his creation started a new cult of ballads in Odia, such as “Kanchi Abhijana”, “Randipua Ananta” and “Konark Gatha”.

Born on 12.10.1937, Akshya Kumar Mohanty has written more than 4000 songs, sung over 8000 songs and composed music in 106 feature fi lms. His literary work also includes 100 short stories, 12 novels and an autobiography. His writings were crisp, direct and bold. He was a master storyteller in Odia language. He is also known for his peppy youthful songs like “Jaare Bhasi Bhasi Ja”. His literary work also refl ects the sensitivity and depth of an artist to do justice to the complex feelings and emotions. His immortal songs and compositions remain the most heard and revered Odia songs among the younger generation also. He passed away on 17.11.2002.