Bhubaneswar Celebrates 85th Birth Anniversary of Eminent Odia Poet Prasanna Mishra with ‘Phalguna Asara’ Event
Bhubaneswar: The 85th birth anniversary of Odia poet, playwright, and litterateur Dr Prasanna Mishra was commemorated through ‘Phalguna Asara’ programme held on the premises of Buddha Mandir in Odisha capital.
The event featured prominent figures from the Odia literary world, who paid heartfelt tribute to Mishra’s enduring legacy in Odia literature while celebrating his innovative spirit across genres.
In her address, chief speaker academician and critic Sanghamitra Mishra highlighted Mishra’s pioneering contributions to Odia drama, particularly in the 1970s. She noted that Mishra had successfully experimented across various forms during that decade. She praised his exceptional work in radio plays, describing ‘Subarna Basudha’ as a remarkable creation.
She shared a personal anecdote, saying the play was so captivating that she once stood and listened to it on the radio.
Chief guest playwright Ramesh Panigrahi described Mishra as a legendary figure in Odia literature, a multifaceted talent who excelled as a poet, novelist, folklorist, children’s writer, and storyteller. He emphasised that wherever Mishra ventured in literature, he transformed it through unique experiments. He mentioned Mishra’s novel ‘Badhi Panira Da
nta’ as an example of his distinctive narrative style, blending folk elements with imaginative Odia storytelling. He urged the gathering to read three of Mishra’s outstanding plays: ‘Subarna Basudha’, ‘Premakhela’, and ‘Jibana Namaka Gachhare Duhkha Namaka Phula’.
He highlighted how Mishra’s works oscillated between boundless imaginative possibilities, scientific literary structures, and profound self-awareness.
Presiding over the event, poet Ashutosh Parida remarked that Mishra’s achievements extended far beyond poetry. “His contributions to short stories, novels, and children’s literature were unparalleled. He authored numerous plays, earning the Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award for his drama ‘Janasebaka’. He also conducted extensive research on Odisha’s legends and folklore,” he said.
Parida mentioned popular poetry collections such as ‘Truck Dalare Sanatan’ and ‘Manikara Priya’, which have garnered widespread acclaim, along with his significant body of work in children’s literature.
Renowned linguist Basant Panda, who was the guest of honour at the event, described Mishra as a distinguished poet, who also created several symbolic and experimental plays. “During the Odia new drama movement, his works added emotional depth and success to the initiative. While widely recognised for his poetry and numerous poetry volumes, his plays revealed a distinctive facet of his genius,” he remarked.
The programme included poetry recitations by noted litterateurs Manorama Biswal Mahapatra, Prakash Das, Sarojini Pani, Shubhashree Lenka, Indira Datta, Shrutakirti Tripathi, and Bhagyalipi Mall. Eminent poet Prakash Mahapatra performed on the flute.
Mishra’s daughter Prachitara presented his stories and delivered the vote of thanks.