Odisha Foundation Day or Utkal Divas is observed on 1st April annually to mark the establishment of the Orissa Province in 1936. This day marks the movement by the Odia speaking people for linguistic state formation.
History of Formation of Orissa (Odisha)
The history of Utkal Divas can be traced back to the desire for preserving the heritage and culture of Odia language. Before the creation of the Orissa state in 1936, Odia speaking people were spread in various presidencies of India, such as Bengal Presidency, Madras Presidency and central provinces. This posed a threat to the Odia language and its distinct culture.
The name of Orissa was changed to Odisha in the year 2011 and the language was renamed to Odia from Oriya after the passing of Orissa (Alteration of Name) Bill and the Constitution (113th Amendment) Bill in Parliament.
The fight for statehood began in the late 19th century and early 20th century with the local leaders uniting to demand for a separate state on the basis of language to protect their language. It became organised with the establishment of Utkal Sammilani or Utkal Union Conference in 1903.
This group agitated for a separate statehood by launching a peaceful yet relentless campaign against the British government on the basis of the fact that a united administrative area was required for the social, economic and cultural development of the Odia speaking population.
On 1st April, 1936, the British government accepted the demands of the organisation and formed the Orissa Province from the division of Bihar and Orissa Province, and the addition of the districts of Ganjam and Vizagapatam from Madras Presidency, and Khariar region of Central Provinces and Berar. This was the first ever state to be formed on linguistic grounds in India.
The Key Members of the Utkal Sammilani
The key leaders of the Utkal Sammilani who contributed to the creation of Orissa Province were Utkala Gouraba Madhusudan Das, the founder of Utkal Sammilani and Utkala Mani Gopabandhu Das, who mobilised the masses through his activism. There were also Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati who argued for the separate state of Orissa at the Round Table Conference, and Fakir Mohan Senapati who galvanised support for Orissa through his literature.
Significance of Utkala Divas
Utkala Divas also known as Utkal Dibasa (Odia word for Utkal Divas) is not just a political commemoration but a cultural and emotional event symbolising the victory of cultural preservation. Nowadays, the day is a reminder to the young generation of the sacrifices of their forefathers and a day that promotes a sense of fraternity among Odias across the globe.
Utkal Divas Theme
The essence of Utkal Divas is the celebration of pride in being an Odia, the Odia language and the progress of the state. It is day of cultural celebration as well as feast where people decorate their houses with flags and host functions where classical dance forms such as Odissi and folk dance forms such as Sambalpuri are performed along with consuming traditional dishes such as Pakhala, Chenna Poda etc.
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