ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review

Fakir Mohan Senapati :

Geetashree Priyambada

“When there is the bustle of progress everywhere, political administration took place during Fakir
will Utkal be still in slumber?” This line from Fakir Mohan’s time. It was felt that if Odia language
Mohan’s first original poem Utkal Bhraman was to survive, then it was important to enrich
(Tours of Odisha) not only epitomises his literary the modern Odia literature along with text books.
overview but also depicts his flare for Odia In this backdrop Fakir Mohan began his literary
nationalism. Fakir Mohan Senapati, regarded as career as a writer of text books. His writing of
the father of modern Odia literature, dedicated text books was prompted by his zeal of opposing
his entire life for the progress of Odia language. the move to abolish Odia from schools of Odisha.
He also played a leading role in establishing the That is why, Odia nationalism was a dominant
distinct identity of Odia language and literature. theme in Odia literature during late nineteenth and
So the story of Fakir Mohan is indeed the story early twentieth centuries.
of the “renaissance” in Odia literature.
Fakir Mohan is considered as the greatest
Fakir Mohan lived and wrote during the prose writer in Odia literature. But it is amazing
darkest period of Odishan history. Odias then had to note that he hardly wrote any prose until he
no state of their own and lived scattered in three retired from administrative service. He translated
neighbouring states i.e. Bengal, Central Provinces
Ramayan, Mahabharat and some of the
and Madras. Odias had little opportunity to
Upanishads from the original Sanskrit for which
develop their literature and culture. On the other
he is popularly known as Vyasa Kavi. He wrote
hand, there was the onslaught on Odia language
poetry too, but the themes of his written were not
from the neighbouring states like Bengal and the
considered conventionally fit material for prose.
Telugu of Vizagpatnam Agency. British
He used colloquial, spoken and rugged language
bureaucrats of the Central Provinces tried to hurt
the feelings of the Odias which resulted in historic of the common man which no written in Odia had
language agitation in the respective areas. Though done for centuries. Fakir Mohan wrote four
all the three agitations were aimed at unification novels, two volumes of short-stories and one
of Odia speaking regions, the root cause of each autobiography. Besides that, he mastered the art
agitation was different from each other. This of writing short stories for which he is also termed
“Desha Mishran Andolan” or the movement to as Katha Samrat (Emperor of Short stories) in
bring all the Odia speaking areas under one Odia literature.

38 April - 2016
Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669

Fakir Mohan was not the founder of Odia the disintegration of a traditional culture and society
novel. His rise as an Odia novelist was by keeping contact with the West.
spontaneous. Before Fakir Mohan, the novels The last novel of Fakir Mohan was
‘Padmamali’ of Umesh Chandra, a Bibasini of ‘Prayaschita’. He describes how the tradition-
Ramshankar were published. But Fakir Mohan’s bound society was destroyed with the contact of
genius and artistic success gave novel a new western civilization. He was not a man belonging
foundation and dignity in Odia literature, for to the age of ‘Lachhama’ or 'Chhaman
that if not from historical point of view. He is Athaguntha'', but he belonged to the
respected as the father of Odia novel. In Odia contemporary age of ‘Mamu’ and ‘Prayaschita.
literature he is respected as a successful novelist. That is why it is said that Fakir Mohan has
Fakir Mohan wrote four novels, namely depicted a partial picture of his family life in the
Chhaman Athaguntha, Mamu, Lachhama, and novel ‘Prayaschita’.
Prayaschitta. All these novels were written in the Lachhama is a story of the Maratha
last phase of Fakir Mohan’s life. Besides these invasion of Odisha which depicts the suffering and
Fakir Mohan in a letter to Biswanath Kar, the heroic resistance of an Odia country girl in
mentioned about the writing of a long story the face of invasion. “Chha Mana Atha Guntha”
“Bisamanji’ on the request of Nandakishore, he is a vivid account of the exploitation of poor village
wrote to change the same story into a novel. folk by Zamindars. Mamu, again is a story of
The publication of Chhaman Athaguntha exploitation of village folk by petty government
was a memorable event in the history of novels. officials and clerks. “Prayaschita” portrays the
Before Fakir Mohan, perhaps no such cruel predicament of a semi-educated youth who
picture of exploitation and plunder was published persistently defies the old order of things with an
in a heart-touching manner in any Indian Language over enthusiasm for new western values.
and literature. When novel was published
periodically in ‘Utkal Sahitya” it made much fuss Fakir Mohan was a master craftsman in
in the reader’s society. The period of writing of modern prose literature. For creation of prose in
‘Chhaman Athaguntha’ was from October 1897 Odia literature his life was the only suitable source.
to 1899 and the event of its description was from In the last part of 19th century there was the
1801 to 1840. In this novel he has started a necessity of genuine Odisha to create pure prose
discussion on the relation between the capitalist literature. During the last thirty years of the
and downtrodden class before 1900. But Bankim past century the unbecoming campaign of non-
Chandra, Sarat Chandra of Bengali literature and Odia language that continued against Odia
Prem Chand of Hindi literature started their efforts language, only continued against Odia language,
after 1900. So Fakir Mohan could be regarded only a pure Odia was needed to obstruct its
as epoch-making writer among all bringing a way. He was the only symbol of this necessity.
change to Indian folklore literature. Fakir Mohan wrote: “At that time the English and
Parsi educated Babus of the country felt it to be
The novel ‘Mamu’ is the best creation of humiliation to touch the Odia books or speak Odia
Fakir Mohan. The identity which he had given at correctly. The society also did not accept prose
the outset of ‘Chhaman Athaguntha’ was full- literature. The people were incapable of reading
fledged in ‘Mamu’. In this novel, he set to describe prose. They were reading the parables like songs

April - 2016 39
ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review

in high time. But when read as song if there was Twelve-four-score of ships were engaged in the
so rhyming they threw away the books. In this transportation of salt. He has made the
situation, Fakir Mohan first took step for the government control responsible for the ruin of salt
writing of biography and history. Before him some industry. By the invasion of the Portugal pirates
prose books were published, but the language how the overseas trade of Odisha declined is
employed was imitative in nature. portrayed in his stories.
Fakir Mohan’s prose literature has been The autobiography of Fakir Mohan is a
divided into two phase. The first phase started political, economic, social and cultural history of
from the writing of 'Rajputrara Itihas' till the period Odisha from the second half of 19th century to
1870. During this period he wrote first 18 years of 20th century. The condition of
‘Bharatavarsara Itihas’ and translated the Odisha from the British occupation of Odisha
biography written by Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar. in 1803 to the end of the First World war in
The second phase lasted from 1897 to 1918. 1918 is manifested in his autobiography. All
During this period he wrote stories, novels, essays historical events like the ancient educational
and autobiography. But from 1870 to 1897 when policy, contemporary agitation of the neighbours
in service he wrote poems and translated Puranas. and save the language agitation by the Odias,
Some of the stories of Fakir Mohan the famine of 1866, establishment of the printing
indicate the history of Odisha. The disturbances press, introduction of Odia text books,
of the monks and the police constables are publication of Odia journals and scripts, the
described in the story Mauna muani. He gives gradual developments of the socio-political and
the real picture of overseas trade of Odisha cultural aspects of Odisha, the blind rule of
and the ruin of shipping trade in Kamala Prasad tributary rules, popular rising etc are narrated in
Gorap and Kalika Prasad Gorap. The ruin of it.
salt industry of Balasore is hinted in Balasori
Pangaluna and Punarmushikabhava. Fakir Mohan
wrote in his autobiography, “In my childhood
there was a great shipping trade at Balasore. Five Geetashree Priyambada, Lecturer in Education, Khariar
to six hundred ships were sailing in the sea. (Auto.) College, Khariar, Dist-Nuapada, Odisha.

40 April - 2016