Odia Books

Shashibhusan Ray was born in 1874,the eldest son of the poet Radhanath Ray, was a distinguished
essayist and travelogue-writer. He passed his Entrance examination in the year 1891, but could not prosecute higher studies on account of epilepsy. The physical handicap, however, did not affect in the least his literary activities and achievements. In 1914 he became Secretary of the Utkal Sahitya Samaj and continued in that office till 1939.

Shashibhusan had an unfailing love for nature and wandered far and wide in different parts of Odisha.Communication was difficult in those days but he would even travel in bullock-carts. He wrote three travelogues; Dakshinatya bhramana (Travelling in the Deccan, 1896), Aryabarta darshana (A view of northern India, 1911) and Kanika darshana (A view of Kanika). They are full of beautiful descriptions of nature besides being a commen-tary on the geographical and historical importance of the places, social customs and practices of the people.

His essays show deep personal involvement in a romantic vein with a sharp eye to details. They are written in a style which is almost poetry in prose. These are ‘Utkalara rituchitra’ (Beauty of Odisha in different seasons), ‘Utkal prakriti’ (Nature in Odisha), ‘Kumuda pahadare aparahna’ (Afternoon on the Kumuda hill), ‘Panchadharare basantotsaba’ (Spring festival at the Panchadhara), ‘Antiare sarat sandhya’ (An autumnal evening at Antia), ‘Nibhrita nilayare shrabana sandhya’ (Rainy evening in the solitary abode) and ‘Kushabarar atmakatha’ (An autobiography of Kushabara).

One of his books shows his devotion and gratitude to his father and bears the name Pitrusmriti (In
memory of my father). His autobiography which was serialized in the magazine, Satyabadi, during 1950
remained incomplete. One of his most remarkable writings which has remained yet unpublished in book
form is ‘Bikshiptachinta’ (Diverse thoughts) which was serialised in the Utkal sahitya for twentyfive long years.

Dakshinatya Bhramana
Aryabarta darshana
Utkalara Rituchitra
Panchadharare Basantotsaba
Antiare Sarat Sandhya
Kushabarar Atmakatha
Nibhrita Nilayare Shrabana Sandhya
Utkal Prakriti
Kanika Darshana