Saturday 23 April 2016

Tuma pari chhota pila tiye (A child like you) -> Utkala Gouraba (The Pride of Utkala)

      The Odia literatus (Sahityika - ସାହିତ୍ୟିକ) Dr Jagannath Mohanty (ଡା. ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ ମହାନ୍ତି)  wrote the following poem on one of the incident in the life of #UtkalaGouraba (#ଉତ୍କଳଗୌରବ) Madhusudan Das (ମଧୂସୁଦନ ଦାସ).
Note: "Utkala Gouraba" means "The pride of Utkala/Odisha".

୧- ତୁମ ପରି ଛୋଟ ପିଲା ଟିଏ, (Tuma pari chhota pilA tiye) - A child like you.
ଗାଁ ଚାହାଳୀର ଚାଟ ସିଏ। (GAAn ChahaLi ra chaTa sie) - A student of the village primary school.
ଚେହେରାଟି ତାର ଡଉଲ ଡାଉଲ, (Chehera Ti tAra Daula DAula) - He is very cute.
ବୁଦ୍ଧିରେ ତାହାର ସରି କିଏ? (Budhi re tahAra sari kiye?) - Can anyone be compared to his knowledge?

୨- ଛାଡ଼ି ଯାଇଥିଲା ଦିନେ ଝଡ଼ି, (ChhaDi jaithilA dine jhaDi) - One day, just after the rains stopped.
ବାହାରିଲା ସିଏ ପାଠ ପଢି। (BahArilA sie paTha paDhi) - He started to school.
ବାଟେ ଯାଉ ଯାଉ ଖସିଗଲା ଗୋଡ଼, (BaTe jAu jAu khasigalA goDa) - He slipped on the road.
ମୁହଁ ମାଡ଼ି ତଳେ ଗଲା ପଡ଼ି। (Muhan mADi taLe galA paDi) - And he fell down.

୩- ଗୁରୁଜୀ ଦେଖିଲେ ଦେହ ତାର, (Guruji dekhile deha tAra) - Teacher looked at him.
ପାଣି କାଦୁଅରେ ସର ସର। (PANi kadua re sara sara) - There was water and mud on his body.
ତିଳେହେଁ ସେଥିକୁ ଖାତିରି ନ କରି,(TiLehen sethiku khatiri a kari) -The child didn't care about being wet,dirty.
ଆସିଛି ହୋଇ ସେ ତରବର। (AAsichhi hoi se tarabara) - Still he came to school in a hurry.

୪- ପଚାରିଲେ ଗୁରୁ ଏ କି ହେଲା?, (PachArile guru e ki helA?) - Teacher asked about what happened to him
ଏତେ ସରି ତୋତେ କିଏ କଲା?। (Ete sari tote kie kalA?) - Who made you like this?
ପିଲାଟି କହିଲା ବେଗେ ଆସୁ ଆସୁ, (PilaTi kahilA bege AAsu AAsu) - The child replied, "In hurry..."
କାଦୁଅରେ ଗୋଡ଼ ଖସିଗଲା। (KAdua re goDa khasigaLa) - ...I slipped in the mud.

୫- ହେଲା ଦଶହରା ଛୁଟି ବେଳ, (Hela dasahara chhuTi beLa) - Time for Dasahara holidays.
ପିଲାଟି ସଭିଙ୍କି କଲା ମେଳ। (PilaTi sabhinki kalA MeLa) - The child made his friends gathered.
ମାଟି ଗୋଡ଼ି ବାଲି ପକାଇ ସଭିଏଁ, (MATi goDi bAli pakAi sabhien) - All put sand & pebbles on the mud area.
ଗାଁ ମାଟି କଲେ ସମତୁଲ। (GAAn mATi kale samatula) - And the village road became good.

୬- ଏହାଦେଖି ଲୋକେ ହେଲେ କାବା, (Eha dekhi loke hebe kAbA)-People were astonished by looking at this.
ଡକାଇଲେ ଗୁରୁ ଚାଟ ସଭା। (DakAile guru chaTa sabhA) - They called for a teacher and student meeting.
କହିଲେ ଏଭଳି ଭଲ କାମ କଲେ, (Kahile ebhaLi bhala kAma kale) - Everyone told, "If we work like this,..."
ନିଶ୍ଚେ ଆମେ ଦିନେ ବଡ଼ ହେବା। (Nische AAme dine baDa hebA) - ...we will grow & have glory one day.

୭- ବଡ଼ ହେଲା ଦିନେ ସେହି ପିଲା, (BaDa hela dine sehi pilA) -The time came when the child became young.
ମଧୁ ବାରିଷ୍ଟର ବୋଲାଇଲା। (Madhu barrister bolAilA) - People called him as "Madhu Barrister".
ଦେଶ ପାଇଁ କେତେ କାମ କରି ସିଏ, (Desha paain kete kAma kari sie) - He worked for the country.
କାଳେ କାଳେ ଯଶ ରଖିଗଲା। (KALa kALa jasha rakhigalA) - And became glorious.

୮- କହିଲା ଜାତିର କାନେ କାନେ, (KahilA jAtira kAne kAne) - He told to the masses through his work....
ଉଠିବୁ ଆଉ ତୁ କେତେ ଦିନେ?, (Uthibu AAu tu kete dine?) - When will you get up?
ପୂରୁବ ଗୌରବ ପୂରୁବ ମହିମା, (Puruba gouraba puruba mahimA) - ...The past glory and greatness...
ପଡ଼ୁନାହିଁ କିରେ ତତେ ମନେ? (PaDu nAhi kire tate mane?) - ...Have you forgotten?


Through this one incident in the life of Utkala Gouraba, the poet wants to tell many things.

In the 2nd stanza, the poet wants to tell the condition of villages and village roads during rainy season in Odisha. As there were no proper roads, people and the school kids used to face a lot of trouble.

In the 3rd  and 4th stanza, the poet wants to tell, about the interest of the students to go to school in spite of these many hurdles. As we say "When there is a will, there is a way".
---In those times, most of the schools were Odia medium Govt. schools. Teachers used to teach, students used to learn and get educated. But in current times, these schools have lost its glory. English medium schools have taken the market. Let there be English medium schools, but why the Odia medium Govt schools have lost its glory? Is it due to neglect, no proper infrastructure or some other reason? The reason might be that there has been a business of education blooming in the market and so the Govt schools are being underrated and private English have taken the lead.

In the 5th stanza, the poet wants to tell, about the initiative taken by the child (Utkala Gouraba Madhusudan Das) during Dasahara holidays to gather his friends and making the road good.
---So it shows, during that time, people had interest for the society. A child also thought for the society and so he took the initiative to repair the road. But everything can't be done by only citizens. There is the need for a political interest, which is lagging in Odisha. And again, everything can't be done by only Govt., people's interest also required and there is a need that people highlight their issues and start participating for the their society.


In the 6th stanza, the poet wants to tell about the teacher-student meeting happening that time. When there was a good initiative taken by a student, the villagers arranged the teacher-student meeting and gave the example of the kid to everyone so that other would be inspired. Does this scenario exist in our villages or in the Govt schools anymore. I think NO!

In the 7th stanza, the poet wants to tell that the child became a barrister when he became young. He worked for the country and earned glory.

In the 8th stanza, the poet wants to tell to the masses through the life of Utkala Gouraba, that the Utkala Gouraba is asking to the people of this generation "Have you forgotten the past glory and greatness of our society? When will you get up from the deep slumber? "
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From long time, our Govt starts many schemes like CleanIndia, SwachhBharat etc etc. Many slogans and songs are created for that and advertised in many forums. Along with central politicians, Odisha politicians also, join the chorus but just for photo-ops. Govt change from time to time with no improvement in the sanitation or cleanliness.
In the meantime, Odisha politicians completely forget about this song on one incident in the life of #UtkalaGouraba (#ଉତ୍କଳଗୌରବ) Madhusudan Das (ମଧୂସୁଦନ ଦାସ).
When speaking about Swacha Odisha, why can't our Govt take the example of Utkala Gouraba and talk to the people of Odisha? Can't this one initiative taken by Madhusudan Das be an ideal for making a Swacha Odisha? How will it be possible when our education system has been slowly downgraded and no glorification of the great men of Odisha? If people realise, they can/may change. But there is the need for political interest in Odisha. If the political leaders dont tell to the people about out glorious past and our great ancestors, then it may take a lot of time to see the change.
I hope, when our Odisha politicians do photo-ops during Swachha Bharat Abhijana next time, they at least showcase this case about the initiative taken by Utkala Gouraba Madhusudan Das, and tell to the people about cleanliness by citing the example of the Great Man of Odisha.

ଜୟ ଉତ୍କଳ ଗୌରବ, ଜୟ ଓଡ଼ିଶା, ଜୟ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ।
(Jay Utkala Gouraba, Jay Odisha, Jay Jagannatha)

Thanks,
             Ashish

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