Book ‘Bande Utkal Janani: Atita O Bartaman’ Throws Light On Odisha’s State Song

Bhubaneswar: A book on detailed study on origin and progress of Odisha’s state song “Bande Utkal Janani” has been published by Dhauli Books, here.

Titled “Bande Utkal Janani: Atita O Bartaman’, the book has 25 chapters and is written  in Odia by Dr Santosh Kumar Mohanty, a well-known scholar of Odisha. Mohanty is now working in Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysuru, Karnataka. The book has been published by renowned author Manu Dash of Dhauli Books.

The writer has collected data from various sources like government proceedings, letters, old books and magazines, proceedings of Utkal Union Conferences, Utkal Dipika, Sambulpur Patriot and others for his literary work. There are total 111 facsimiles/images in the book.

It also features patriotic songs sung at the Utkal Union Conferences of Odisha and the discussion on the idea of formation of the Utkal Union Conference.

Prominent scholars of Odisha including Prof Kishore Kumar Basa, Dr Natabar Satapathy, Kamalakanta Mohapatra, Debendra Kumar Dash, Prof Jatindra Kumar Nayak and Dr Lalatendu Das Mohapatra have appreciated the effort of the young writer on the state song.

Written by Kantakabi Lakshmikanta Mahapatra, ‘Bande Utkala Janani’ was first sung at the 9th session of the Utkal Union Conference at Puri in 1913.