Madhusudan_Das

IV
MADHUSUDAN AND GOPABANDHU
R.P.SASTRY
In the last part of the 19th Century Orissa's social political and
economic life was in a staggering condition and the cultural life was
sought to be suppressed under the dominating influences of the
neighbouring provinces which had the advantages of the political and
administrative backings of the Brush rulers Eminent historians, linguists
and literary men of some of the neighbouring provinces blinded their
visions to the great Oriya literary works of Upendra Bhanja. Kavisurya
and many other distinguished Oriya poets, and the voluminous Oriya
epic the Sharala Mahabharat Jagannath Das's Oriya Bhagabhat and the
century old arts and architectures of the Oriyas and made attempts to
obliterate the Oriya language from its own land.
UTKAL DEEPIKA
At this critical juncture of the history of Orissa. Utkal Deepika the
most powerful paper of Oriya made its appearance at Cuttack in 1866 as
the saviour of the Oriyas. 'Deepika' true to its name kindled the new light
and saved the Oriya language and culture from extinction. It was the
voice of "Orissa". That voice grew louder and louder from mouth to mouth
and it was able to reach the deaf ears of the British rulers who did not want
to reunite me Oriya-speaking population which had been dismembered
by them tor its strong opposition to the British conquest and occupation
of this part of India.
MADHUSUDAN DAS
Madhusudan Das born in 1848 in Satyabhamapur village of
Cuttack District in a small zamindar family. This was the boy who
blossomed to a great leader in this State to be popularly called as Utkal
Gourab (pride of Orissa) who saved this historic race of India from complete
collapse and extinction. Madhusudan had his early education in an usual
village atmosphere and passed his Entrance Examination in 1864 from
Cuttack High School. He passed his F. A. Examination 1868 and B.A. in
1870 and qualified for M. A. degree in 1873 and B.L. degree in 1878. In
1881 he returned from Calcutta to Cuttack and started his legal practice.
Almost simultaneously at that time two political-cum-cultural
organisations of Oriyas called 'Utkal Sabha ' at Cuttack and 'National