Economic
aspect was a significant part of the articulation of Odia identity in the first
phase of the 20th century A.D. Madhusudan was well aware of this side. In his
quest for a New Odisha he wanted great economic progress of the Odias.
Although
Odias were treated as impoverished in the last part of the 19th century,
Odisha’s economic potentiality was well known for her unrivalled filigree industry.
There were Silversmiths in Cuttack who were prized in the Cuttack Exhibition for
sixty years from A.D. 1840 to 1900. (Utkala Dipika,24th November 1900)
But this trade suffered a lot in the last decade of the 19th century which was
noticed by Madhusudan. He wanted to give an impetus to this old industry of the
Odias by holding a shop (Orissa Art Wares) at his place
at
Cuttack by training the karigars and encouraging them all the more by
holding an exhibition of their finer products and awarding them medals. The
Orissa Art Wares of Madhusudan began from about A.D. 1898.(Ibid.)
Madhusudan wanted this industry to be on the progressive stage for asserting
Odia’s economic potency and it would be a marker of Odia identity. As early as
A.D. 1900 Orissa Art Wares got to be modernized by the effort of Madhusudan.(Ibid.)
When Lord Curzon came to Puri in 1900 in the month of December Madhusudan
presented to him a raupyadhara (silver casket) which would contain the
greeting note of the Odias. (Ibid.December 22,1900) This silver casket
was made in the Art Wares of Madhusudan and was very elegant and was indicative
of his inventive genius. The bottom of the casket was a silver filigree plate.
Upon it on both the sides were placed two elephants made of ivory and in the
middle in a golden leaf was painted the image of Jagannath temple. In the back of
the elephants there was a long silver box and it had its own system to open and
close down. On one side of the handle (dhankuni) of the box the image of
Lakshmi and on the other side the image of Saraswati were painted on gold leaf.
The silver plate of the two sides of the box contain the painted image of Kaliyadalana
Srikrishna in gold leaf. This presentation to Lord Curzon in the last year
of the 19th century by the considerable care and supervision of Madhusudan
indicates that he was more careful to present the economic potentiality of the
Odias who were considered by the outsiders to be in a period of quiescence. He
wanted to communicate to the Viceroy Lord Curzon that the Odias were vital,
energetic and full of creativity and that they could not fall into a sudden
stupor.
Madhusudan
established the Orissa Art Wares to regenerate the spirit of manufacturing indigenous
goods of high quality for export.(Jena 1999:156-158) A separate school of Art
Wares was attached to the factory with hundred trainees who produced beautiful
articles.(Dash 1971;127) He also provided training to hundred fifty weavers from
his factory for production of handloom
fabrics
with modern shuttles.(Ibid:225) His Art Wares was highly admired by the
British officers like Charles Elliot, Webster, Maddox, U.S. Club, W. Lawrence
and E.B. Harris.(Jena 1999:157) The fixation of golden star in the silver
filigree object in the Art Wares of Madhusudan was a great artistic work and
was very elegant. The automatic Ottordan with Golab pass Pandan combined
patent. The plate was meant for pan, the roses were receptacles of otter and
the peacock threw out the rose water automatically where button was pressed.
The roses and peacocks had gold stars. The plate and roses could be removed and
the plate could be used for other purposes. (Utkala Dipika, 24th
November 1900)
Another
important aspect of his economic activitiy was the Utkala Tannery. Its fame was
not only confined to Odisha, but to different parts of India, England and Japan
as early as 1923. (Utkala Dipika, 29th September 1923) Its popularity
was due to the continuous efforts of Madhusudan. He wanted this Tannery as a
marker of Odia’s economic identity. It was established by him near Cuttack
Railway Station over an area of about fifty acres of land and a great
experiment was made by him to make the best leather goods by utilising native
objects like the use of lizard skin. In order to make it a profitable business
concern, Madhusudan was ready in 1923 to give it for its management to a company.(Ibid)
It was of course registered as a limited company in 1913.(Ibid) It
started from about 1903 and he spent huge amount of money for it. By his own
effort he made the factory to stand on a firm footing and wanted its progress for
Odia’s economic prosperity. In 1923 the Utkala Tannery had a capital of Rs
80000.(Ibid) It was expected to produce leather goods in huge quantities
and to evoke the wonder and admiration of the west.
Madhusudan
took up the economic and industrial regeneration of Utkala as a part of his programme.
Economic and industrial regeneration depend on the good wishes, earnest
efforts, industrial and scientific education of the people and mutual
co-operation which were communicated to the Odias by Madhusudan through the Utkala
Sammilani. The Cuttack Industrial Exhibition which had started from 1898 and
which was inaugurated in 1903 by K.G. Gupta (the Commissioner of Odisha) in the
sixth year was a great indication of Madhusudan’s efforts for economic and
industrial progress of Odisha. In the address Gupta praised Madhusudan by stating
that there was no lack of skill and the “hand hath not lost its cunning” in
Odisha was clear from the success which Madhusudan Das had been able to achieve
with local artisans.(Ibid: 10th January, 1903)
Thus
Madhusudan for constructing Odia identity and later on for articulating it
sought to revive Odishan traditional crafts to a considerable extent. No doubt
it mobilised the Odias in the programme of economic and industrial regeneration
for a stable Odisha.
Madhusudan
had excellent ideas for mobilising the Odias for the assertion of their identity.
His speeches on different occasions starting from the Utkala Sabha to Utkala
Sammilani, his speeches on other public platforms in the first two decades
of the 20th century possessed an extra-ordinary appeal for the
enthusiastic Odias. He spoke words which could never be spoken and kindled a
fire which could never be extinguished and aroused a people from long slumber.
In his speeches he imagined the glorious past of Odisha and presented it before
the Odias. He was in the forefront of the followers of imagined Odia identity.
Following the Andersonian view about nationalism we may state here that the
imagined communities of the Odias were guided by Madhusudan Das for asserting the
cultural domain of their identity. (Anderson1983) He reconstructed the identity
of the Odias where he felt it disrupted. He inspired the youngmen of Odisha by
associating them with the activities of the Utkala Sammilani. An important
evidence of his articulation of nationalistic attitude for the young men can be
collected from Utkala Dipika.(Utkala Dipika, 10th November 1917).
In 1917 a unique Dasahara festival was celebrated by the School students at
Cuttack. While the image was on the way to immersion the students prepared a
photo sketch (Chitra Patta) of fragmented Utkala which was the idea of Madhusudan
Das in which mother Utkala was in one direction and her banished daughter in
another direction. In the gap there was sea. It means the sea of political
administration (Colonial power) had kept the daughter separated from her
mother. Both mother and daughter were looking to one another, but the daughter
was banished. She had no way to return to her mother land. The young group kept
the photo sketch before Durga image and shouted with the slogan “Jay Utkal Jay”
which was widespread.
Inspired
by Madhusudan the Odia nationalists in their quest for a complete Odisha viewed
the terrible image of Durga (Chhinamasta) in the deformed and scattered image
of Utkala Mata. They believed that in near future the fragmented body of
their mother Utkala would take a full shape in the form of the Cheerful
Bhubaneswari image worshipped on the occasion of Durgapuja. (Asha, 2nd
October 1916)
Madhusudan
articulated the feelings of Odia identity through-out his life. But the most important
phase of this articulation was till 1919. Although he had his voice after that
year, the intensity began to lesson. It is a point of enquiry how the
leadership of Madhusudan , the Uncrowned king of Odisha in 1914, shifted to other
groups. It invites an interpretation of the issues of Odia identity (regional
identity) and the wider context of Indian identity (Mahabharatiya Jatiyatabada)
.
Till
the 13th session of the Utkala Sammilani Madhusudan’s activities
relating to the assertion of Odia identity expanded. In March 1918 Madhusudan
called three great meetings at Balikuda, Jagatsinghpur and Biridi. (Asha,
March 25, 1918)Every meeting was attended by thousands of people. His purpose
was to intimate the rural people with the aims and objectives of Utkala
Sammilani as a remarkable step to establish Odia identity on a firm basis.
His arrival in these meetings was responded with slogans from the people “Jay
Utkala Jay’. In the beginning day of the 13th session of Utkala Sammilani Madhusudan
at the request of the president delivered the initial address of welcome. He accepted
the meeting place of Utkala Sammilani as a mandap of mother
worship. The meetings organised by Utkala Sammilani were designed for
the worship of mother Utkala. He uttered- 'Janani janmabhumischa Svargadapi
gariyasi' in the address and explained the idea-first we have to think of Janani
(Mother), second Janmabhumi (Motherland) and third Svarga. (Heaven).
Everyman’s life is like a wave (Srota).
In
the beginning of this srota there comes Janani, in the middle Janmabhumi
(Motherland) and lastly Svarga. The life of man begins with mother,
work field is Janmabhumi (Motherland) and hence the reward of work-the
work in the motherland is superior to heaven. He insisted in that address to
worship and pray for Utkalamata.(Ibid;April 8,1918) It was after
the 14th session of the Utkala Sammilani there was a desire of some Odias
to convert the Utkala Sammilani into a wider platform for the discussion
of Gandhian strategy for the national movement. The Sammilani was
originated for the great and noble purpose of the unification of the
Odia-speaking tracts. Madhusudan and his associates wanted to reconstruct
Odisha both geographically and culturally. They represented a generation of Odianess
which did not want issues of politics in their nationalist platform Utkala
Sammilani. But the Utkala Sammilani of Madhusudan and others
in 1920 was a young entity of 16 years and the time was in favour of a
multinational movement called the Great Indian National Movement. Hence many
Odias like Gopabandhu Das and his associates eagerly wanted to make it a
platform to discuss the burning political issues of the time. The discourse of
Great Indian Nationalism (Mahabharatiya Jatiyatabada ) started to
dominate over the small question of Odisha state formation on linguistic basis.
The demand for the union of Odia-speaking areas was accepted by the senior
groups represented by Madhusudan. The Junior groups represented by Gopabandhu
fully accepted the transformation of Utkala Sammilani into a platform
for the spread of Indian Nationalism against colonialism. The Odia Newspapers
like Asha represented the Odiaism of Madhusudan and did not appreciate to
root out the primary motive of the Sammilani for the sake of the
application of the Non- Cooperation programme for Indian Nationalism. (Asha,
December 27 1920 : Dash 1984: 111- 114) Gopabandhu himself in his Satyabadi
explained his discourse of national identity against the regional identity
of the Odias and even persistently demanded the progress of the Odias through
the wave of Indian Nationalism.(Dash 1921/1328 Sala:31-34) From the
Chakradharpur session of the Sammilani Madhusudan disassociated himself with
its activities, but continued his primary purpose-the unification of the
Odia-speaking areas by many other ways.
The
supervision by Madhusudan in Utkala Sammilani, his efforts to widen the constructive
programmes of the Sammilani for the reconstruction of Odisha were the most
significant aspects of the study of modern Odisha History. Madhusudan was best
evaluated in his time not only by the Odias, but also by the Bengalis in Bangabani.
While writing on Sir Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay Rajendralal Vidyabhushan stated that
Madhusudan (Purushashreshtha) was the home tutor of Ashutosh and that he used
to correct the exercises which were kept by Ashutosh carefully in his library
till his death.
Ashutosh
used to have a look at them on many occasions before he died. The Bengali
version of this focus has been presented below for an estimate of Madhusudan in
his time;
Madhusudan Ashutosher ye eksarsaij-guli
sanshodhan
kariyaditen, seyi khataguli adyavadhi
Ashutosher
sajatna-rakshita almiray vidyaman/
Ashutosh majhe
majhe taha dekhiten.
(Bangabani,
3rd Year, No.5, Sala-1339, p.599-603)
The
Odia writings of Madhusudan reflect his conscious attempt to project Odisha
with spectacular pride at a crucial phase of the history of India-in-Making and
they also articulate his innermost desire to see Odisha in full form of progress.(Dash,
Debendra Kumar 2010) Thus for his multi-dimensional activities and programmes
Madhusudan Das has remained an unmistakable symbol of Odia identity till
to-day.
References :
1.
Asha, Odia Weekly Newspaper,Berhampur, 1916,1918,1920.
2.
Utkala Dipika, Odia Weekly Newspaper, Cuttack, 1887, 1900, 1903, 1904, 1914,
1917,1923, 1928.
3.
Bangabani, 3rd year, No.5, Sala-1339, Ashadha, p.599-603.
4.
Anderson, Benedict (1983), Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin
and Spread of Nationalism, London: Verso.
5.
Das Gopabandhu (Sala 1328/ 1921) “Utkala Sammilani O Bharata Jatiyatabad”. (in Odia),
Satyabadi, Sakhigopal, Sixth Number, p.31- 34.
6.
Dash Surya Narayana (1971/ 1988) Deshaprana Madhusudan ( in Odia),
Cuttack: Grantha Mandir.
7.
Dash, Gaganendra Nath, (I) (1978) “Jagannath and Oriya Nationalism,” in The
Cult of Jagannath and the Regional Tradition of Orissa,ed. Eschmann, A,
Kulke, Hermann and Tripathy G.C., New Delhi, p. 359-374.
(II)(1984)
Khadyotara Dyuti (in Odia), Cuttack: Dimond Publishers, p. 106-119
(III)
(2010), “Utkala Sammilani O Madhubabu”(Utkala Sammilani and Madhubabu), in Jhankara
(Odia Monthly Magazine), Cuttack, 62/7, p.781-792.
8.
Dash Kailash Chandra (2001),(I) “Utkala Sabha and the Articulation of Oriya
Identity” Orissa Review, Information and Public Relations Department,
Government of Orissa, Bhubaneswar, p. 11-19.
“Madhusudan
Das and The Articulation of Oriya Identity”, Orissa Review, February- March,
Vol. LVIII, Nos. 7 and 8, p.22-30.
9.
Dash, Debendra Kumar and Das, Nagen(2010), eds., “Utkala Gaurab
Madhusudananka Odia Rachanavali”(Writings of Madhusudan Das in Odia language),
Pragati Utkala Sangha, Rourkela.
10.
Ghosh Sarat Chandra(1937), “Cottage Industries of Orissa” Amrit Bazar
Patrika, Calcutta, October 3.
11.
Jena Sarat Chadra (1999) , “Madhusudan Das : His Pioneering Effort in the
Industrial Progress of Orissa”, in Madhubabu and Orissa In The Making, Orissa
State Archives, Bhubaneswar, p. 152-178.
12.
Mohanty Surendra (1972), Madhusudan Das, New Delhi.
13.
Mohanty Nibedita (1982), Oriya Nationalism, Quest for a United Orissa, New
Delhi.
14.
Mishra, Prabodh Kumar (1979),The Political History of Orissa: 1900-1936,” New
Delhi.
Prof.
Kailash Chandra Dash
Former Reader in History,
C-3/2, B.J.B.Nagar, Bhubaneswar-14, Odisha,
e-mail : dash.kailashchandra@rediffmail.com
Courtesy:
April -
2013 Odisha Review
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