WHY KOSAL STATE IS NECESSARY ?

ALAG KOSAL RAEJ KAE'N HELA JE DARKAAR?

1-The creation of Orissa province has seen greatest sacrifice made by the Kosali people to accept coastal dialect as the official language even though Kosli-Sambalpuri remain as the sole language of their daily existence. Many Kosali people like Gangadhar Meher, Bhima Bhoi had contributed significantly towards Oriya literature.

2-The Kosali people had not only played a pivotal role in constructing the modern identity of Orissa state but also had made significant contribution towards the development and progress of the state.

3-The Kosali population, according to Census 2001, account for about 39 percent of the Orissa population and the Kosala make-up about 59 percent of the total area of the Orissa state. They contribute nearly 45 percent of total workers and 48 percent of total cultivators in Orissa. Kosala is the source of about 76 percent of net value-added generated in the Orissa manufacturing. In terms of forest resources, it contributes the highest percentage of forestland in Orissa with 66 percent of the total Orissa forest area. Further, Kosal is the richest source of minerals comprising iron ore, manganese ore, base metals (copper ore and lead ore), bauxite, china clay, coal, fire clay, graphite, limestone, dolomite, and precious minerals including diamond in Orissa. In fact the share of Kosal in the total reserve of minerals is 99 percent in the case of bauxite; 100 percent each in the case of coal, dolomite, lead & zinc, and limestone; 30 percent in iron ore; and 28 percent in the case of manganese ore. Its share in the value of mineral exploited in Orissa ranges from 100 percent in the case of Coal as well bauxite to 27 percent in the case of iron ore to 22 percent in the case of manganese ore during 2001-2002. In the case of Orissa’s own tax revenue, Kosal contribute about 39 percent of total sales tax and excise duties each, 33 percent of entertainment tax and motor vehicle tax each, 32 percent of general cess and nistar cess, and 30 percent of land revenue.

4-In the infamous backward districts of Kosal region of the KBK (Koraput, Bolangir and Kalahandi) about 68.8% persons live below the poverty line and even the Chief Minister of Orissa recognized the region to be the poorest region in India.

5-Apart from manifesting in starvation deaths the acute level of poverty in Kosal shows its ugly face in the form of child-selling. Although the news of child-selling dates back to 1985 when Phanas Punji, a thirty year old woman shocked the nation by selling her fourteen year old sister- in-law Banita Punji to one Vidya Podh for Rs 40 to buy food for her children in the Kosli district of Bolangir.

6-The apathy of Orissa government to the incidence of poverty in Kosal region has been most unfortunate in the last half a century. Whenever any news on starvation deaths appears in newspaper the first official reaction of the state government has been to simply deny such incident. The non-seriousness in the government response to the issue of poverty and starvation death in the Kosal had manifested in several cases of improper implementation of the projects sponsored by the central government meant for backward districts of Kosal as noted by the planning commission of India.

7-Various poverty alleviation programmes in Orissa have failed due to rampant corruption, unawareness of schemes amongst beneficiaries and wrong targeting of the beneficiaries. In many cases, the poor people of Kosal even cannot buy subsidized rice supplied through the public distribution system (PDS) due to lack of purchasing power.

8-The minimal developmental resources meant for Kosal region including poverty alleviation schemes has been systematically siphoned-off from the region to the coastal region through corruption.

9-The News Channel, NDTV, reported the acknowledgement of a government official about the system of paying commissions to a whole lot of people including senior officials and politicians even from the funds meant for Food for Work schemes
undertaken by the government of Orissa in the drought-affected districts of Kosal.

10-The large-scale misappropriation of Central aid coming under various social security schemes can be seen from the famous September 22, 1999 report of the then deputy administrator (Hrushikesh Panda) of the KBK (undivided districts of Kalahandi, Bolangir, Koraput) that had elaborated upon the widespread misappropriation of funds given by the Centre under agreement with the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) and the role of the then district collector, two directors of the IFAD project, and many other government officials forcing Central government to withhold the
aid to the poverty-ridden Kashipur block of Rayagada. The Hrushikesh Panda report noted that not a single plant claimed to have been planted under the programme can be traced, payments were made against non-existent works, roads were built from no where to no where, estimates of works were recklessly revised and only non-tribals were
handpicked as contractors by the officials.

The corruption money going into the account of bureaucrats straightly shifted to the Coastal region as majority of them belongs to that region.

11-This failure of the state government in checking corruption and properly addressing the grinding poverty in Kosal and the corrupted role played by government officials who invariably belong to the Coastal region has naturally fueled
discontentment among general Kosli people that they have not received their right share of development even though they are contributing major chunk of resources towards the state. The then Prime Minister of India, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee
summed up the developmental disparity in Orissa as follows:

“After touring western Orissa and interacting with the people of the region, I have come to the firm conclusion that the development of this part of the State, although rich in natural resources like mineral deposits and forests, has been neglected. This has resulted in the impoverishment of the people of this region, which has been left way behind by the developed areas of the State… The stark reality of poverty, hunger, starvation, illiteracy and malnutrition that one witnesses in vast tracts of western Orissa is further highlighted by the fact that the bulk of the people who have been denied  share of the development cake are tribals... In a sense, western Orissa is the real face of India. It is a matter of shame that fifty years after Independence people should die of hunger; that parents should be forced to sell their
children for a fistful of rice”.

12-The migrants from the Coastal region are in general economically better-off and educated and they migrate to other states mainly in search of better employment opportunities, and not so much because of desperate search of livelihood in the face of drought or famine, like people in Kosal.

13-Recently there has been a phenomenal increase in the number of women including pregnant one joining the flow of seasonal labour migration from the Kosal raising further issues of gender discrimination in wages, women facing increased health risks and threats of sexual exploitation. Several newspapers are reporting cases of sexual abuse of female workers and selling of child labour from Kosal in other parts of India.

The Coastal-dominated state government is completely insensitive to our issues and failed to address the real issues faced by us.

14-The poor performance of Kosal as compared to the Coastal region in the primary as well as higher stages of education may have resulted from various factors but the most important may have been the relatively low levels of government
educational expenditure devoted towards the region as compared to the Coastal region.

15-From the point of view of the access to university education through availabilityof educational institutions there has been a very strong sense of educational deprivation in Kosal. It has only one university, namely Sambalpur University,
situated at Burla, Sambalpur district catering to the educational needs of 14.3 million Kosali people spread across a geographical area of 98, 034 square kilometers. The Coastal region, on the other hand, host to a total of seven universities with per university catering of 3.2 million Coastal people spreading over a geographical area of
63,507 square kilometers. In terms of number of sanctioned seats at post graduate level (MA/MSc etc. and MPhil) there is glaring regional disparity in Orissa. The two major university of Coastal Orissa together have 2081 seat strength with a seat-population ratio of 93 seats per million population whereas the sole Kosali university, Sambalpur
University, has only 723 seat strength with a seat-population ratio of 51 seats per million population. Inclusion of other five universities to the list of Coastal region will further increase its seat-population ratio relative to that of Kosal.

16-One engineering college in Kosal covered about 24 lakh population whereas it covered merely 9 lakh population in the case of Coastal region.

17-Kosal goes without specialized research institutions as Central Rice Research Institute (Cuttack), Institute Of Physics (Bhubaneswar), Homoeopathic Research Institute (Puri), Regional Leprosy Training & Research Institute (Ganjam), Nabakrushna Chaudhury Development Studies (Bhubaneswar) etc. are located in Coastal region.

18-Kosal has seen relatively low level of quality of education even though it has the backlog of lowest literacy rate in Orissa as compared to Coastal region.

19-Kosal has largest percentage of single teacher schools at primary, primary & upper primary, and primary & upper primary & secondary/higher secondary levels of school education as compared to Coastal region.

20-In terms of the provision of school infrastructure over region mixed picture emerges. As far as the percentage of student enrolled in schools without building and without blackboard is concerned Kosal appears to be lagging behind Coastal but when considering student-class-room ratio (SRC) is concerned it is relatively better-off.

21-The Kosali people really do not understand why their own state people located in the Costal Orissa have opposed the proposal for making Sambalpur University a central university when this only institution is serving the whole of the Kosal region whereas the Coastal Orissa cornered a total of seven universities. The power politics at state
capital favour Utkal University to be made central university as a result of which the proposal to have a central university in Orissa has been lying in official document since long time. These un-helpful attitudes of the state government and Coastal people made Kosali people more aware that educational development of Kosal is not possible
under the present Orissa state.

22-Orissa government largely dominated by the Coastal leaders are ruthlessly insensitive to even the humanly issue like health and the natural solution for this discrimination is being sought in the formation of a new state.

23-It is most unfortunate that the people in Kosal region lacked the most basic health facilities which the people in Coastal region are getting, the Orissa government continues to expand relatively more public health services in Coastal region.

24-By 2002 the state government has added about 699 PHCs in the Coastal region compared with mere 467 PHCs in the Kosal region. Considering the population coverage per PHC and per doctor one may likely to conclude that this addition is justified as the Coastal region has got a higher figure than Kosal. However this conclusion is misleading as there are large-scale vacancies of sanctioned doctor posts in Kosal.

25-In the name of public health services the Kosal has got hospitals from the government without doctors and infrastructures.

26-One PHC in Kosal covered about an area of 165 square kilometers as compared to 81 square kilometers in the case of Coastal region.

27-The Kosali people got a real shock when the government of Orissa decided to set-up the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bhubaneswar with utter disregards to the public opinion in Kosal. When there is already 4-5 super-specialty medical hospitals are already there in Bhubaneswar and another 2-3 in Cuttack hardly 25 kilometers away from Bhubaneswar and also numerous hospitals with modern facilities in the capital city there was no justification for setting up the AIIMS in Bhubaneswar.

Nowhere in the history of Modern Indian states, will one find such an example where a state deprived its 40 percent of population the spatial access to health services merely for the sake of keeping everything in one region.

28-Kosal have got relatively low level of spatial coverage by roads as compared to the Coastal region. Road networks cover 164 kilometer of area in the Coastal region whereas it is 138 kilometer in the Kosal region, the shortfall in the coverage is amounting to be 26
kilometer.

29-In Kosal only 34 post offices per 1000 square kilometers are available against 78 post offices in the case of Coastal region.

30-While the number of banking branches in the Kosal region is 5.6 per lakh population and 8.7 per 1000 square kilometer of area it is 6.1 per lakh population and 21.5 per 1000 square kilometer of area in the Coastal region.

31-The banking system has provided a per capita credit of Rs. 1255 to the developed parts of the Coastal region which is one and half times higher than the per capita credit given to the underdeveloped Kosal region (only Rs. 820). Malkangiri with Rs. 354, Nabarangapur with Rs. 398, Debagarh Rs. 421, and Sonepur with Rs. 419 represent the
four most lowly per capita credit receiving districts

32-On an average, every 8 out of ten villages in the Coastal region are electrified whereas this is the case of about every 6 villages in the Kosal region. The number of electrified villages was not even 5 out of ten villages such as Rayagada, Malkangiri, Koraput, Kandhamal, and Debagarh. Only 19 percent of Kosali household have access to electricity as compared to 27 percent of Coastal Household.

33-The Oriya Sahitya Samiti responsible for promoting Oriya language and literature has habitually favoured the Coastal dialect by various promotional schemes like providing cheap financing, publishing and instituting literary awards. The Samiti is bias against the Kosali/Sambalpuri language.

34-In the history of modern Orissa one will not find a single piece of evidence where the Coastal people have contributed anything to the cause of the Kosali/Sambalpuri language.

35-Contrary to the promotion, most of the video album- making companies like Samrat and Sarthak based in the Coastal region are loose large to bring out Sambalpuri video cds which are devastatingly filthy and distorted by copying Hindi songs and mixing them with Sambalpuri which undermines Sambalpuri as an independent language.

36-In the case of dance, while Orissa government is continuously promoting Odissi dance in Orissa as well as outside the state, the Folk dances of western odisha or Sambalpuri folk dance received the least focus of the government.

BIRTH CENTENARY OF FATHER OF KOSLI LANGUAGE

A short biography of Pundit Prayagdutta Joshi

A multifaceted talent born on 25th February 1913 to Shri Chandrasekhar Patjoshi and Smt. Brundabati Devi.

Studied up to class 8th at Khadial and then went to Raipur for higher studies and completed his matriculation in 1932.
He privately studied Ayurveda from 1934 to 1938 in Kashi at Kabiraj Dharamdas Chaukacharya. He was awarded with gold medal for securing the first position in All India level Ayurveda examination held in 1938. During his Kashi days he had authored four volumes of books on Ayurveda in Sanskrit.

He had actively participated in the struggle of Indian Independence in 1930 during his student days. He joined Congress in 1938. He was member of Pradesh Congress Committee till 1950. He was elected as the first Sarpanch of Khadial Gram Panchayat.

He was a talented actor, writer and director of dramas. His Kosli play "Kapat Bibah" was staged in 1940-41.

Books & Article:

Khadial Anchalara Lokabhasa - Saptarshi, June, 1981
Upabhasa Nuhen - Dainik Koshal, Sambalpur, 17/10/81
Kosali Bhasa - Dainik Kosal, Sambalpur, 26/1/82, Agnishika, Sambalpur, 8/11/81, Girijhar, Bhawanipatna, Nov, 81, Dibidibi, Bhawanipatna, 21 June, 82
Abahelita Bhasa - Dainik Koshal, Sambalpur, 15/12/84
Swatantra Kosli Bhasa - Dainik Hirakhand, Sept. 15, 17, 19, 20, 83, Basant Milan Souvenir, 18 Feb 83, ( E, Bo, E aade), Girijhar, Bhawanipatna, 14/11/89, Saptarshi, Nov 83, Saptarshi Sept 84, Presented at a seminar at Shantiniketan on 24/2/85, published in Biswa Bharati Dipika, June 85
Nuankhai - Ek Prastab, Dainik Hirakhand, 4/9/84
Kosli Bhasa ra Ghara Samparkiya Sabdabali - Girijhar Bhawanipatna, Nov 84
Paschim Odisha ra Bhasa Kosli - Hirakhand Basant Milan Souvenir, Jan 85
Aaji O Kali ra Odia Bhasa -Dainik Hirakhand, 1/2/85
Kosli Lok Sahitya Re Rititatwa - Presented at Purbanchaliya Ritisahitya held at Panchayat College Bargarh and published in the souvenir, 25, 26, 27, Nov 85
Kosal Pradesh ra Maitri Nibandhan - Odisha Sanskrutik Samaj Jayanti Samaroh Souvenir 86
Swatantra Kosli Bhasa - Dhuan Aru Dhuka - Saptarshi, July, 86
Swatantra Kosli Bhasa - Bidwatbimoha - Saptarshi July, 87
Swatantra Kosli Bhasa ra Parichay - Saptarshi, March 88

NEW KOSLI MOVIE "SALA BUDHA" READY FOR RELEASE

AFTER 25 YEAR OF SUPER SUCCESSFULY FIRST KOSLI MOVIE 'BHUKHA', ACE FILMMAKER SABYASACHI MAHAPATRA BRINGS TO YOU THE LAST KOSLI MOVIE 'SALA BUDHA'

Concept : 

Life in rural India during earlier times was simple, environmentally rich, unpolluted and resourceful. The agriculture based villages had unique culture, tradition and folk arts. Sala Boodha captures the quintessential elements of rural landscape in all its simplicity and rustic nature. 

Human relationship was a vital aspect of our villages. People were honest, hard working and held values of life very high which enriched the society. Sacrifice and serving others were the watch words within the village community. Villagers were spiritual and pragmatic in their approach to life. 

Unlike the present day materialistic rat race in the society, the villagers then had limited aspirations yet were happy and humane. Sala Boodha touches the core of the Indian value system of hope and determination and the will to fight the system against all odds. The villagers love for their farm land and mother earth was unparalleled.

Synopsis 

Sala Boodha is a poetic story of faith set in a Odisha village during the pre-independence era. Agriculture being the main occupation, villagers are totally dependent on the crops. Nature especially rains play a momentous role in their lives. 

Like every year, villagers pray for good rains but the imminent drought and their anxious wait for the clouds form the backdrop of Sala Boodha. Despite adverse economic conditions the village chief does not loose hope. It is this grand old man who keep the folks motivated and engaged for a bright future is the "hero of the circumstances". Hope, values and faith are the undercurrents of this tribal village life.

The film captures the rich tribal ethos of the Sambalpur region of Odisha. The legacy of rich music, dance and their ethnic language provide the original milieu to this rustic story based on the novel Sala Boodha written by Kapilesswar Prasad Mohapatra, a writer wellknown in Odia-Koshal language and has been felicitated by Sahitya Academy,and many other literary organizations.

Director's Note 

This film is a tribute to senior citizens and the ageing population of India on the occasion of cinema in India celebrating its 100 years. I think India's future rests on the strength and faith of people like my hero in Sala Boodha. Today youth needs hope, determination and strong values and my protagonist in the film is an anchor for the villagers in distress. 

Instead of looking at elderly people as liability by the younger ones, I feel they are great resource for leading the society. One in every five persons will be over 65 by 2035. It is not just the traditional values but the older generation who could be the lighthouses for the posterity. Sala Boodha has a subtle message for the present fast paced complex society. - Sabyasachi Mohapatra 

**************************************

Cast : Atala Panda,Prithwiraj,Pradyumna,Netranand,

Technical Crew : 

Banner : Mohapatra Movie Magic Pvt Ltd

Story : Kapileswar Prasad Mohapatra

Producer : Sushant Mohapatra

Co-Producer : B. Chintu Mohapatra

Director : Sabyasachi Mohapatra

Director of Photography : Aum Prakash Mohapatra

Editor : Rajendra Mahapatra

Associate Director : Kumar CDev Mohapatra

New Kosli Sambalpuri Movie "CHINI"

It seems the golden days of Kosli-Sambalpuri Cinema is back again. It was the year 1989 when Sri Sabyasachi Mahapatra first started the trend with superhit movie "Bhukha", It gave a new identity to the cinema of Sambalpuri language.But it was sad that it took more than 25 years for our film maker to revive the Kosli Sambalpuri cinema and it started with "Ulgulan" followed by big budget "Samiyar Khel"  both of which recieve great public response. Also ace director Sabyasachi mahapatra's has finished shooting of another sambalpuri movie titled "Salaa Budhaa". Inbetween we got another good news. On 24th september 2012 another Kosli-Sambalpuri movie "Chini" went into floor with it's muhurat short.

Special attraction of the movie "CHINI" is the song sung by none other than the legent "Asha Bhonsle"...This is the first time that Asha ji will be singing a Sambalpuri song. Check out the video of "Making of this song"


The new Sambalpuri movie "CHINI" is based on the Kosli play with the same name.Best of luck for the team. Check out the poster of the new movie below:

BALANGIR BANDH ON 31st AUGUST 2012 IN SUPPORT OF LOWER SUKTEL PROJECT

(Photo - KUNA BAG)

Indefinite hunger strike by lower suktel action committee to expedite the Lower Suktel Irrigation Project.Seven persons are there 1.Gopalji Panigrahi of Bolangir 2.Anuragi Nahaka of Dhulushar,Chudapali 3.Kanhu Charan Mishra of Garjan 4.Udhaba Jhankar 5.Sudam Dharua 6.Maheswar Seh 7.Durga Prasad Bhaoi

They are fasting for the last 3 days....

To day a meeting convened by Citizen Committee to extend support to the lower suktel action committee hunger strike.All section of people participated in this meeting.An unanimous decision taken to Bandh Bolangir on 31st of this month.Wide publicity will be made to aware people on this issue and street corner meetings will be held tomorow in different place of Bolangir.Gearing up to make this revolution successful.

Who is responsible for the underdevelopment of western Odisha? Videos of Kanak TV debate

This was a lively debate. Expect few leaders everyone spoke within the scope of the topic. Otherwise, now day TV debates are often turning brawl and theatrical stage. I observed that all most all leaders spoke in Kosli language. They  should also use Kosli language in assembly; so that people of western Odisha will understand them. The discussion was about health, education and human resource development  in western Odisha (Balangir and Kalahandi Medical college, AIIMs and other centrally funded institutes); industrialization; pollution in Sambalpur-Jharsuguda belt; KBK issues, Dadan sramik; malnutrition; starvation death; unemployment; Gadjats; feudal mentality of political leadership; and Kosal state demand.

People of western Odisha feel alienated because their voice is not heard by the mainstream Odia media. Thanks to the Kanak TV for providing a platform to people of western Odisha (although one speaker was accusing the organizers about the choice of the title and divide and rule policy).

PART-1

PART-2

PART-3

PART-4

PART-5

PART-6

PART-7

PART-8

LATEST KOSLI-SAMBALPURI MOVIE "SALAA BUDHA"

Poster Designed By Giridhari Podh

Twenty-four years after making the internationally acclaimed filmBhukha, the first feature film in Sambalpuri, ace director Sabyasachi Mahapatra is back with another Sambalpuri film, Shala Budha.

Shooting of the film got under way when Subarnapur district collector Gagan Bihari Swain flashed the mahurat shot of the film in Karnapali near Sonepur on Tuesday.

The unit members of Mahapatra Movie Magic, the production house of Mahapatra have camped in Sonepur for the shooting. Mahapatra said the film would have veteran artistes as well as some new faces in the cast.

Based on a story by Kapileswar Mahapatra, Sabyasachi’s father, it is a tale of the early 20th century tale of the Raj era in Sonepur.

Speaking about his new venture, Mahapatra said that after Bhukha got international recognition, he always wanted to make another feature film in Sambalpuri.

“I had made Bhukha in 1987 and it still remains the only feature film in Sambalpuri dialect. I feel honoured that I am going to make the second one also. It is the story of Maharaja Biramitradaya Singhdeo and his peasants in the early 20th century, when Singhdeo ruled the then Sonepur state,” said Mahapatra.

“All unit members of the production house have been invited from Mumbai for the film. Roughly, the shooting will take around 25 or 30 days,” Mahapatra said.

The film will be shot at exotic locations in and around Sonepur. Benudhar Pradhan, the public relation officer of the film unit said, apart from Sonepur town, the film will be shot at locations like Chetana Udyan in Mahada and Karnapali.

“The locations in Sonepur include the picturesque Rameswar, the confluence of the Mahanadi and Tel rivers, Sonepur College and Gopaljee temple,” Pradhan said.

He also said the cast had been finalised and it would have both veteran artistes and new faces.

“Veteran theatre personalities such as Atala Bihari Panda, Ghasiram Mishra, Gadadhar Barik and Purusattam Mishra would be part of the cast. Similarly new faces such as Pradumya Sahu and some other also have got a chance to act in the film,” said Pradhan.

Produced by Susanta Mahapatra, the film has cinematography by Prakash Mahapatra. Atala Bihari Panda has written the dialogues.

Some Early Jagannath Temples of Western Orissa

Written by Pabitra Mohan Barik is a lecturer in History,S.H.Mahavidyalaya, Madanpur, Khurda

Jagannath, the Lord of the Universe, who is worshipped at Puri is the supreme deity of the Hindu Community. Puri the sacred city of Orissa is well known for the great temple of Lord

Jagannath. Shree Jagannath is heartily loved and respected by all . Jagannath culture influences every sphere of life in Orissa, whether it is political, social, cultural, religious or economic. Puri the seat of Lord Jagannath is the greatest religious centre of India. . There are a number of Jagannath temples in various parts of Orissa.

Jagannath Temples in Western Orissa :-

Jagannath temple at Brahmapura village near Patnagarh town of Balangir district is one of ancient temples of Orissa. Ramai Deo, the founder of Chauhan dynasty of Balangir-Patna kingdom in the 14th century constructed this Jagannath temple. This temple symbolizes the spread of Jagannath culture in Western Orissa. Ramai Deo, the first Chauhan ruler of Balangir-Patna installed the images of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra, which he took from Puri. Ramai Deo also took thirteen Brahmana families from Viraja Kshetra, who were engaged in the Seva Puja of the deities. Ramai Deo granted them two villages named Hirapur and Chandanbhati for the maintenance of the temple. Those Brahmana families are living in Brahmapura village till now.

There are number of Jagannath temples in Sambalpur town, which were constructed by Balabhadra Deva, the third Chauhan ruler of Sambalpur kingdom. Brahmapura temple situated in the heart of the Sambalpur town is one of them, where he has installed the images of the Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra in the sanctum. The temple observes all rituals of Jagannath culture. Spiritual scripture Adhyatmya Ramayana was translated into Oriya verses by poet Gopal Telenga under the patronage of Maharaja Ajit Singh of Sambalpur (1726-42 A.D.). Another important early Jagannath temple in Sambalpur is in the Gopalji Matha, popular for its religious activities. Bansigopal, the third son of Madhukar Deva, the fourth Chauhan ruler of Sambalpur became a great Vaisnava and founded the Gopalji Matha in the Sambalpur town on the bank of the Mahanadi. There he spent his whole life as its firstMahanta. He had constructed two temples in this Matha complex, one is Gopalji temple and the other is Jagannath temple.

The Dadhivaman temple at Bhatli of Bargarh district is famous as Jagannath is worshipped as Dadhivaman here. Bhatli is an old village, where, according to tradition the temple of Dadhivaman was built by a rich merchant named Paramananda Sahu. At the time of Car Festival thousands of people congregate here to worship the Lord. The time of construction of the temple of Dadhivaman at Bhatli may be the 18th century. Anangabhima III, the Ganga ruler had constructed many Jagannath temples in Bargarh area after the conquest of western Orissa by his ablest general Vishnu Acharya around 1220 A.D. Anangabhima Deva had granted lands for the running of those temples. He had granted land with a total area of 52.36 acres in village Deshkumhari in Bargarh district. He had granted certain land with a total area of 78 acres in the village Tamparsara, also in Baragarh district as an endowment for the temple of Dadhivamana of that village. The Dadhivamana temple located at Tamparsara is the oldest in Western Orissa.

Sonepur, the head-quarter of Suvarnapur district is famous for its temple culture. It is situated on the confluence of the rivers Tel and Mahanadi. There are many temples in and around this historic town. It is known as the temple city of western Orissa. The Jagannath temple at Sonepur town stands near by the damaged royal palace on the bank of the Mahanadi. Also it is believed that Lord Jagannath idols were kept in Sonepur when Kalapahada attack temples in coastal orissa

Another ancient Jagannath temple of western Orissa is situated at Junagarh in Kalahandi district which is called Dadhivaman temple. Junagarh was the old capital of Nagavamsi kings of Kalahandi. The Dadhivaman temple at Junagarh is existing there since 1718 A.D. as an important centre of Jagannath Culture.

These early Jagannath temples of western Orissa were constructed by the kings of various

dynasties ruling this part of Orissa in the mediaeval period to spread far and wide the inner ideology and philosophy of Jagannath culture.

National Seminar on Creation of New States in India with specific reference to Kosalanchal

8th July, 2012 : at 9.30 am., Sambalpur (KOSAL)

Minister of State for Home Affairs Jitendra Singh in a statement in parliament on 15th May, 2012 said, “Creation of any new state has wide ramifications and direct bearing on the federal polity of our country. The Government of India moves in the matter only when there is a broad consensus in the parent state itself”.

This statement is ridiculous. For example will Naveen Pattnaik ever agree to carve out Kosalanchal

from Odisha ? Will his ministers and his coterie will move such a proposal in the state assembly ?

Jitendra Singh further said in his statement, “the Government of India has received a number of

demands and representations from time to time from various individuals and organizations for creation of new states. But the Government takes a decision on the matter of formation of new states after taking into consideration all relevant factors”.

This statement could also mean that the centre is still not too enthusiastic about new states

considering the situation in Andhra Pradesh where the demand for creating Telangana has virtually left India’s fourth largest state in tatters, both socially and politically.

On the backdrop of this a valid question may be raised as to whether there could be a second state

reorganization commission? If not at this stage will it be constituted only after hundreds and thousand crores of national property is ruined ? Today’s seminar should send a strong message to the center for constitution of a second state reorganization commission. This being the issue, the seminar should deliberate on whether there is a need for formation of a national level committee for creation of new states which will work as a pressure group and force the Government to act upon.

According to the Government, demand for separate state emanates from the perception that there is appreciable development deficit in comparison to mainstream areas of the state or appreciable short fall in development parameters. In such cases the centre will advise the state concerned to expedite development initiatives. This again is frivolous.

Development deficit or regional imbalance as we call it, is definitely ahead of other criteria for new

statehood but it is not the one and the only. There are several other criteria like cultural and linguistic differences that call for division for states. Over and above there is hegemony of one group over the other. For example in Odisha, Why do they not recognize the kosli language as the second official language of the state knowing fully well that more than one fourth of population speak and write in this language ? Why do they not teach the kosalites in their mother tongue ?

These are some of the points which immediately come to mind and perhaps to all of your minds as

well. There are many more points which may be raised in course of the seminar and deliberated upon.

I, therefore, look forward to an useful discussion on the issue and take this opportunity to implore your conscience and erudition in full form so that we wind up the day with a consensus and send the summary of the seminar to the appropriate agencies. I’m glad to say that, we’ve papers on subjects like regional imbalance in Odisha with special reference to Telangana, status of Health & Education in Western Odisha and the misery of tribal population in Kosalanchal. I once again hope the delegates will enjoy the day and fully participate in this historic seminar being organized by a fledgling political outfit i.e. Kosal Kranti Dal.

Baidyanath Mishra

Working President, KKD

Endless water journeys

Photo By- Satya P Nanda.   Courtesy -  Balangir Facebook Group

Original Article taken from DECCAN HERALD written by Sarada Lahangir

Twenty years after the UN conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, which recognised that the world needs to manage its water resources in a sustainable manner, and 10 years after the Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights iterated that “the disproportionate burden women bear in the collection of water should be alleviated”, women continue in their endless trek for water the world over.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), almost one fifth of the world’s population (about 1.2 billion people) lives in areas where water is physically scarce. The unaccounted burden of water collection in such circumstances invariably falls on women.

Take Kasturi Pangi of Dumripadar village in Odisha’s tribal Koraput district. Despite being in her seventh month of pregnancy, she has to ferry a big pot of water on her head for at least a kilometre each time she goes for a refill. Says Pangi, “The water source is about half a kilometre away along the national highway, and every day I have to make at least three such trips to meet the family’s water requirements.”

The actual value of this effort is lost on her, as indeed her husband, Sarat Pangi, a construction worker. When asked about his wife’s daily scramble to collect water for the family, he casually mumbles, “She has to bring the water in time so that I can take a bath before I leave for work at 8 am.”

In Odisha, there are innumerable villages that have no committed source of water or have very poor water supply. According to Census 2011, around 35.4 per cent of families in the state have to travel long distances to fetch drinking water. A decade back this figure was 30.8 per cent. In other words, there has been an almost 5 per cent rise in the number of villages without adequate water during the summer. 

Some districts are worse off. Every second family in the tribal-dominated district of Kandhamal travels more than half a kilometre to fetch drinking water, while 50.4 per cent of houses are not near any source of drinking water. Kandhamal is, in fact, the worst affected among the state’s 30 districts. The data further reveals that in rural Odisha only 7.5 per cent households has access to tap water, while 19.8 per cent depends on wells and another 66.9 per cent uses tubewells.

The day starts early for these water carriers and things get particularly harrowing during the summer months. “When the river dries up under the hot summer sun, we women sometimes have to dig a hole on the river bed to access water. These holes are known as ‘chahalas’ and we have to wait for each one to fill up before we can scoop out more water,” explains Malati Bag of Kirakela village, in Nuapada, another water scare district in the state. 

Life is hardly easier for the women of Bolangir district which is, like the others, a tribal dominated one. Sabitri Tandi of Bangomunda block in Bolangir has to go to a water source about half a kilometre away from her home. Since she has to make three such trips a day in the searing heat, she ends up covering three to four kilometres every day.
What is generally not reported is the high price women pay for water collection in terms of their physical health. 

Jamuna Dharua, 23, from Bolangir, has a tragic story to relate, and this despite having a well in the premises of her home. Last year, she suffered a miscarriage while drawing water from the well. Recalls Dharua, “We have eight member families solely depend on that one well for all its domestic use and on an average, we have to draw at least 20 buckets of water from the well every day.

I was in my fourth month of my pregnancy during a time when the water level of the well had gone down to 15 ft deep because of dry summer conditions. While I was drawing water, I felt a mild pain in my lower abdomen that I overlooked. A few days later, I had a miscarriage and the doctor explained that bending over at the waist for a long time while drawing water from the well could be one of the factors for this.” Ironically today her sister-in-law, who is pregnant, spends much of her day drawing water from the well.

Dharua’s mother-in-law, Kalabati, 60, is quick to defend herself, “Our women are used to this kind of work and everyone does it — my ‘bohu’ (daughter-in-law) — is no exception. Jamuna’s miscarriage was an accident. I don’t keep well, so I cannot help these girls with such chores. So if my ‘bohu’ doesn’t do this work, who will? My sons?” 

Scarcity of water has other health implications as well. As summer wears on, the people of Bahadulki village of Rayagada district become dependent on the local stream for their daily needs and incidents of diarrhoea and cholera shoot up because the stream is contaminated by water from a nearby drain. Explains one woman who didn’t want to be named, “We are getting infections because of this water. When we get our periods, there is insufficient water to clean our clothes, and we end up with urinary infections.”

Explains Bhubaneswar-based social activist, Amrita Patel, who is familiar with women’s concerns in this region, “Generally, I have seen women in rural Odisha carry massive 15- or 20-litre aluminium pitchers full of water on their heads, while holding on to another 10- to 15-litre bucket full, and walking several kilometres. One hardly ever sees a man carrying even a small pitcher of water on his head! This is because, according to local social norms, getting water for domestic purposes like for drinking, bathing and cleaning is the sole responsibility of the women.”

What disturbs Patel is that public discussions on reducing the burden of women in terms of water collection only revolve around the need to reduce the distance to the source by provisioning a water source at an accessible location. While this is an important concern, she believes that the time has also come to break the norm that ensures that water collection is strictly seen as a woman’s task.

Ranjan Panda, Convenor, Water Initiatives Odisha, a voluntary organisation working on water issues, is worried about the future. Says he, “As the years go by, sources of drinking water are only going to get depleted, given our vanishing water bodies. This will make women even more vulnerable in the future. It is time that society becomes more sensitive to the issue. So far the government has never addressed it from a gender perspective.”   

western Odisha handloom industry struggles to survive

News Courtesy :- Telegraph

The state-run handloom industry is struggling for survival and lags behind in popularising the indigenous patterns and fabrics of Odisha whereas private players are doing roaring business.

The plight of weavers, who cater to government textile organisations and many of who have quit their hereditary profession in the past few years because of financial pressures, reflects the fact.

Sonepur, the hub of Sambalpuri textile materials in western Odisha, is home to at least 50,000 weavers. But, absence of an organised market has pushed them into a state of misery. The weavers’ co-operative society, which used to look after the community, is now non-existent in Sonepur while the Odisha State Handloom Development Corporation has been shut down since 2001 and its 500-odd employees continue to struggle for their outstanding wages.

The condition of weavers in Sambalpur district is no better. Lack of proper support from the government and the soaring price of yarn have forced several weavers to quit their traditional profession. “The number of weavers in the state has decreased remarkably. Several weavers are quitting their traditional profession,” said Manabhanjan Meher, advisor to the local weavers’ society, Nikhila Odisha Meher (Bhulia) Samaj.

“One cannot think of supporting his family by weaving alone now. Hence, several weavers are giving up their traditional profession. There were 40 looms at Badbazar. But, a majority of the weavers gave up this profession. Now, there are only three looms at Badbazar,” he added. The government should take steps for controlling the price of the yarn to save the weavers, he said.

The state handloom and textile department said Odisha had 43,652 looms being run by 1,92,339 weavers. Of them, 86,355 weavers operate under 526 weaver co-operative societies and 18,154 are organised under the 1,511 self-help groups.

The weavers, who are not covered under co-operative societies, find it hard to run the profession because of inadequate wages, rise in price of yarn and absence of an organised market.

“I have to depend upon the sahukars (intermediate tradesmen), who supply me with the raw materials such as yarn, dye, and later in turn, take away the finished product from me. While the sahukars enjoy good profit by selling the product, I am paid a meagre wage,” said Parameswar Meher, a weaver of Ranipur village in Sonepur. Parameswar said the wage he got was meagre considering the fact that it took at least 15 to 20 days to weave a sari. “All my family members are engaged when I weave a sari. It takes at least 15 to 20 days to weave a sari and I get only about Rs 2,000 as my wage,” he said.

Rama Meher, another weaver of Kendupali village in Sonepur said it was difficult for him to run his family with the weaving profession. “I have to look for something else now to feed my family since our ancient profession of weaving is not enough for a livelihood. Many in the village have already quit the profession and are doing better as skilled labourers,” he said.

Internationally acclaimed Padmashree Chaturbhuj Meher, who established the well-known handloom store Meher’s that has among its clients President Pratibha Patil, film star Jaya Bacchan and many international cricketers, said the Sambalpuri textile had a huge market. But, there had to be right policies by the government to develop this market, he said.

“With the adoption of new technology such as the Jacquard loom, the weavers now weave more exquisite textile materials, but they don’t get the right price for it. While the independent weavers have to market their product themselves by travelling to the big cities, the others, who are not financially sound, have to depend upon the sahukars who exploit them,” he said.

Management head of the Meher’s Gouranga Patra said the government-run handloom organisation Utkalika was the reason behind quitting of weaving by around 300 artisans.

“It was doing good business, but in the 80’s, the management there was corrupt and they did not repay the weavers, who had taken huge loans to give Utkalika their consignments. This caused a permanent damage to the handloom industry in the state,” sai Patra.

He said the government could take up initiatives in giving weavers promotion to improve the scenario. “Once a weaver has expertise at a certain design or pattern, he should be given promotion by being assigned to work on a more intricate design and a costlier fabric, so he ultimately earns more and also acquires skills. We have around 3,000 weavers working for us this way and they are doing very well economically,” he said.

Last year, the department of handloom invited well-known designers from all over the country to promote the patterns of Odisha at their fashion shows. But, there are other important things to be looked at, feel experts.

“What our handloom industry needs now is better marketing strategies and design innovations. We could experiment with our patterns and add more creativity to suit the international market. Our silk and cotton fabrics are so rich that there is great demand of the Odisha fabric throughout the world. We must capitalise on it. I use it in my creations and get great response world over,” said well-known fashion designer Pritam Panda.

Officials of the state handloom and textile department said the state government was taking all steps for the development of the handloom units and weavers. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has announced a special package for the handloom weavers that includes infrastructure development, capacity building of the weavers, intervention of modern technologies and marketing promotion. Naveen will inaugurate an exhibition of Odisha handloom products in London next week to showcase fabrics from the state.

“The handlooms production in Odisha during 2011-12 was to the tune of Rs 180 crore because of sustained efforts of the state government,” said a senior official.

Two major co-operative bodies — the Odisha State Handloom Weavers Co-operative Society (popularly known as Boyanika) and Sambalpuri Vastralaya — have significantly improved their performance. The sales turn over of Boyanika was Rs 52.62 crore in 2011-12 and it earned a profit of Rs 1.13 crore in 2010-11. Similarly, Sambalpuri Vastralaya had made a turn over to the tune of Rs 20 crore in the same year, said the official.

As Odisha’s textile products are facing the problem of duplicated products outside the state, the government has registered two textile items (Odisha ikat and Kotpad handloom fabrics) with the Geographical Indication Registry (kind of patenting at Chennai under the Union commerce ministry.

Five more indigenous and exclusive products of Odisha — Sambalpuri bandha, Sonepuri Bomkai, Dhalapathar screen, Habaspuri sari and Berhampuri patta and jodo — were in the pipeline, said the officials.

Only Rs 40 cr to Khurdha-Balangir line : KKD Protest Across Kosal

The KOSAL KRANTI DAL and ALL KOSAL STUDENT UNION (AKSU) organised a Rail Roko at Balangir station on 20th March 2012 in protest of the meagre allocation of fund for the 20 year old Balangir-Khurda railway line..The rail roko was withdrawn after the local police intervene.

Political reactions across Balangir:-

“It’s shocking that the Central Government neglected Odisha again. Giving a mere Rs 40 crore for the Khurda-Balangir rail line is absolutely shameful and a sheer neglect of the genuine demands of the people of western Odisha,” said BJD MP Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo here.

Raising the fare will badly hurt the poor people of India, he added.

“The allocation of Rs 40 crore for the rail line is too ‘meagre’ and we condemn the apathetic attitude of the Central Government towards the people of Balangir and this region. If the allocation goes in this way, it will take many long years to complete the Khurdha-Balangir rail project,” lamented Bhavani Satpathy of Balangir Citizens’ Committee.

The Railway Board chairman had assured of looking into the project, when a delegation comprising Baisnab Parida, Prasanna Patsani, Sivaji Pattnaik, Rudramadhab Ray and Bhavani Satpathy met him in New Delhi in December, 2011.

He also assured to run the railway from Bhubneshwar to Begunia, besides commencement of work from Balangir side, Satpathy said. However, not a single assurance given by chairman to the delegation was fulfilled, Satpathy pointed out.

The allocation for Khurdha-Balangir railway line must be substantial every year. We demand at least Rs 200 crore for the rail line annually and a specific time limit to complete it, said Kosal Kranti Dal president Promod Mishra.

The rail line which would serve as a linkage between coastal region and western parts of Odisha, besides ensuing economic development, has been ignored and a meagre allocation has been made this year. The announcement of setting up a railway wagon factory in Sitapali in Ganjam is somewhat “surprising” and it should have been set up anywhere in western Odisha, Mishra said further.

Photo Courtesy :- Swadhin Mishra