Odia Books

Tarinicharan Ratha was born in 1883. He came of a cultured and well-to-do family of Berhampur in
the district of Ganjam. He graduated from Presidency College, Madras, and joined government service as a sub-Assistant Inspector of Schools. He left the service after two years, obtained a degree in law and joined the bar at Berhampur in 1908.

Later, he was appointed as District Munsif, the first Oriya munsif in the Madras Judicial Service. During his short span of life Tarinicharan, in spite of his busy career as a legal practitioner and judicial officer, devoted himself to literature. He contributed articles on various subjects to Utkal sahitya, the leading Oriya monthly. His writings include poems, short stories, historical essays, epigraphy, folklore and literary criticism. He was also reputed for collecting Oriya folk-tales which appeared in Utkal sahitya.

His original literary works include a poetical work called Rusikulya and a historical novel named
Annapurna, dealing with a historical episode of the 16th century; the fight of Prataprudra Deb, the king of Orissa, with Krushna Deb Roy of Vijaynagar and the marriage of Prataprudra’s daughter to Krushna Deb Roy. His another published work is Mohini or Utkal bijoy.

A pioneering work of Tarini Charan is Utkal sahityara itihas (History of Oriya literature). The book reveals the author’s wide range of study and an unbiased viewpoint. His Ghumsar itihas (History of Ghumsar) is also a notable work which speaks of his ability for historical research. He first brought to light Madana manjari, an unpublished poetical work of the celebrated poet, Dhananjay Bhanj (1637-1701). It was published in 1915 with a.learned introduction and notes from him.

A few of his articles written in English also deserve mention. These articles, written on ancient rulers,temples and inscriptions of Orissa, and published in the Bihar and Orissa Research Journal and Ipigraphica Indica, brought him fame and approbation.He wrote some bibliography like Shreedhara Mohapatra, Oriya prakasaka 0 prasaranara itihas (Granth Mandir, 1986);Eitihasika Tarinicharan Ratha (1976).

Annapurna
Rusikulya
Madana Manjari
Mohini
Utkal Bijay