Odia Books

Nityananda Mahapatra was born in 1912, he had no formal education but is well-versed in Vaishnava
philosophy and in Hindi, Bengali and odia literatures. He joined the freedom movement in 1930, and was. imprisoned several times. In 1936 he became the Editor of Dagaro and in 1945 of the Dainik asha. His Swaraj pala (1930) and Swaraj samhita (1948), political in content and traditional in literary form, were instrumental in infusing patriotic feelings among people. The former and also his story ‘Mausi’ (1934) were proscribed by the British Government. Panchajana (1947) and Kalaradi (1954), two of his verse collections were also written in the same political and patriotic vein.

His only collection of love-lyrics Marama (1948) deals with subtle feelings of a love-lorn heart. He also wrote a play, Harijan mandir-prabesh (1955), and a collection of short biographies Bharat bhagya bidhata (1957). His ability to write successful belle lettres in odia is displayed in Patra 0 pratima (The epistle and the idol, 1956) and Kabipriyasu (To the poet’s beloved, 1964). But it is in prose-fiction that his artistic ability finds full and better expression.

The themes of his novels and stories are varied and his style different. Psychological aspects of love and human relationships are depicted in his novels like Bhul (Mistake, 1935), Jianta manish (Men alive, 1947), and Pirati patha khasada (Slippery is love’s path, 1949). A real picture of social change during the preIndependence and post-Independence days has been drawn in his trilogy, Hiamati (1948), Bhanga hara (Broken bones, 1955) and Gharadiha (Homestead land, 1975) for which he won the Sahitya Akademi award. Jibanar lakshya (The aim of life, 1946) and Sukhara sandhane (In quest of happiness, 1948), although they are like fantasies, express an idealistic view of life. His latest novel is hagiographical, Naham tisthami baikunthe (I am not in the Vaikuntha, 1977). Four of the story-collections are well-known: Egarata (Eleven stories, 1947), Kshanika (Transients, 1948), Dhala gara kala gara (White line black line, 1976) and Akhi nahin kana nahin (Blindfold, no fault of mine, 1978).

Odia Books By Nityananda Mahapatra

Jianta Manish
Bhul
Hiamati
Bhanga Hara
Gharadiha
Jibanar Lakshya
Sukhara Sandhane
Kshanika
Egarata
Dhala Gara Kala Gara