The Big Book Of Odia Literature: An Illuminating Introduction To Odisha's Literary Heritage

C♛ultures always sought ways to transcend linguistic barriers, transmitting their literary and artistic light beyond borders. Translation has long been the vehicle for this exchange, allowing readers to experience the flavours of other cultures, satisfy curiosity ꦰand a thirst for new perspectives.

In India, as elsewhere, literary translation has been an essential tool i🎃n this civilisational dialogue, offering insights into diverse communities. Anthologies of translated works, in particular, play a crucial role in introducing non-specialist readers to a broad spectrum of voices from different cultures.

While there is no shortage of anthologies featuring Indian literature, it is rare for collections to transcend the boundaries of a single language. Recent publications have started to break this mould, notably Abhay K’s The Book of Bihari Literature (HarperCollins, 2022) and now The Big Book of Odia Literature (Penguin, 2023), edited by the renowned poet and publisher Manu Dash. These anthologies stand out for their effort to present not just a single dominant language but the rich linguistic diversity of 🌟their respective regions. In doing so, they remind us that India is a profoundly multilingual society, where many languages, particularly those without state recognition, often go unrepresented in mainst🦹ream discourse.

The Big Book of Odia Literature is a monumental anthology that celebrates the literary traditions of Odisha, offering readers an array of works from various languages spoken in the state. The anthology is divided into four sections—poetry, plays, short stories and essays—providing a♑♔ sweeping overview of Odia literature from its early era to contemporary times. There are 105 poems by 43 poets, 30 short stories, 23 essays, one short play and an excerpt from a long play included in this anthology. The languages represented in this anthology include Odia, Sambalpuri-Kosali, Sanskrit, Sandha, Santali, Kui, Oraon, Mundari, Kharia, Kisan, Sadri, Kondha and Paraja. Further, there are pieces originally written in English.

Dash, in his introduction, skilfully traces the historical evolution of the Odia language, which gained prominence in 1936 when Odisha became the firs♔t Indian state formed on the basis of language. Odia was recognised as a classical language in 2014. With its roots in classical forms such as the Charyapada, Odia literature boasts a rich history, which this anthology presents in a compelling manner. The introduction offers a historical overview of each genre represented in the anthology.

Dash traces their history, classifies them into various peri🌺ods and schools and provides insights into their significance to Odia culture. The editor’s notes on the evolution of lyric poetry in Odia, the development and concerns of short stories and essays and the emergence of a new theatre movement in Odia are very useful. He also presents a subtle discussion of the negotiations of Odia language and culture with Sanskrit and Bengali. His detailed commentary on the development of the Odia language and its early poets is invaluable to a new reader, such as this reviewer, of Odisha’s literary cultures.

Section one, dedicated to poetry, is the most diverse and arguably the most fascinating part of the collection. Spanning the 10th to the 21st centuries, it includes works in Odia, Sambalpuri-Kosali and several tribal languages like Mundari, Oraon and Kondha. From the classical poet Sarala Das to contemporary voices like Nikhilesh Mishra, the section showcases a broad spectrum of poetic styles, from mystic and tantric poetry to postmodern forms. The inclusion of oral folk compositions enriches the collection further, presenting the vibrant oral traditions that continue to thrive in Odisha’s tribal communities. While the complexities of poetic form are often flattened in translation, the anthology succeeds in offering a rich panorama of the region’s literary heritage. For readers whose familiarity of literature from Odisha is limited to Sarala Das, Bhima Bhoi, Ramakant Rath, Kumar Moha♎nty, Gopinath Mohanty, Sitakant Mahapatra, and Jayanta Mahapatra, this anthology is a learning experience.

The subsequent sections on plays, short stories and essays provide a similarly broad overview. The selection of plays is limited, featuring only two works—The Monk by Jagan Mohan Lal and Chief Guest by Biswajit Das—but it offers a glimpse into the socio-cultural concerns of Odia 🍷theatre. The short story section is more expansive, with 30 stories that chart the development of Odia prose.

Fakir Mohan Senapati’s “Rebati” published in 1898 is the first Odia short story. And that this genre has thrived since then is attested by the short stories included in this section. The essay, called ‘prabhandha’ in Odia, in its modern prose form was published again by Fakir Mohan Senapati in 1873. This section includes thought-provoking selections with pieces that explore Odia thought and philosophy. The essays included also offer readers succinct information about Odia language, ancient and modern Odia literature, Odia folk traditions, discussions of some chief motifs in Odia literature and culture, literature and language movements in Odisha and aspects of Odia literary criticism, among a host of other relevant topics. There are also essays with a more concrete focus on the literature of the regions, such as “Literature of Odisha” (Krishna Chandra Panigrahi), “Chaitanya in Oriya Literature” (Prabhat Mukherjee), “The Oriya Character” (Suniti Kumar Chatt💖erji) and “How and Why Sarala Das Translated the Mahabharata” (John V. Boulton).

What makes The Big Book of Odia Literature particularly significant is its inclusion of folk and Adivasi literatures. By offering translations of works from minority languages such as Kui, Mundari and Kondha, among others, the anthology amplifies voices that are often marginalised, both within and outside Odisha. This effort is especially important in a time when linguistic nationalism tends to elevate state languages at the expense of other languages alive in the states. The Big Book🎃 acts as a powerful counterpoint to this trend, highlighting the need to honour and preserve India’s linguistic diversity.

For a reader interested in understanding the past and present forms of Odia literature, The Big Book is an invaluable resource. Though it is already a big book, one still feels that a sample from an Odia novel could have been included. No doubt anthologies of multilingual literature such as this will help researchers to explore the continuities and discontinuities 🍷between the diverse cultures and communitiꦿes of India.

The Big Book of Odia Literature is a groundbreaking work that provides readers with a comprehensive introduction to the rich and varied literary traditions of Odisha. For both scholars and general readers, it offers an accessibl♑e and illuminating journey into the heart of one of India’s most ancient languages and cultures with a very rich history.

(This appeared in the print as 'The Big Book')