Oriya officially
Odia from November, 2011, is an
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n
languageLanguage may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
, belonging to the
Indo-AryanThe Indo-Aryan languages constitutes a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages, itself a branch of the Indo-European language family...
branch of the
Indo-EuropeanIndo-European may refer to:* Indo-European languages** Aryan race, a 19th century and early 20th century term for those peoples who are the native speakers of Indo-European languages...
language family. It is mainly spoken in the Indian
stateIndia is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
s of
OrissaOrissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
and
West BengalWest Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. Oriya is one of the many official languages in India; it is the official language of Orissa and the second official language of
JharkhandJharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
.
Overview
Oriya is the predominant language of Orissa, where Oriya speakers comprise around 83.33% of the population according to census surveys.
Oriya language in neighboring states and in other linguistics regions
Outside Orissa, there are also significant Oriya-speaking populations in other linguistic regions, such as the
Midnapore DistrictMidnapore district is a former district of the state of West Bengal, India. This district was bifurcated on January 1, 2002 into the Purba Medinipur district and the Paschim Medinipur district.-References:...
of
West BengalWest Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, the
SinghbhumSinghbhum was sometime a large district in the present-day Indian state of Bihar. Chaibasa was the district headquarters of the erstwhile Singhbhum district. Earlier this area was a part of Orissa's Gajapati Empire...
, Seraikela Kharsawan district of
JharkhandJharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
, the
SrikakulamSrikakulam is a town, municipality and headquarters of Srikakulam district in the north-eastern Andhra Pradesh, India. It is part of Srikakulam Assembly constituency and Srikakulam Parliament Constituency. Srikakulam was formerly called as Gulshanabad during Muslim rule and was headquarter of...
,
VizianagaramVizianagaram is the main city of the Vizianagaram District of north-eastern Andhra Pradesh in southern India. Vizianagaram district was formed on 1 June 1979, with some parts carved from the neighbouring districts of Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam. It is, at present, the largest municipality of...
& Vishakhapatnam District of
Andhra PradeshAndhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
,eastern districts of
ChhattisgarhChhattisgarh is a state in Central India, formed when the 16 Chhattisgarhi-speaking South-Eastern districts of Madhya Pradesh gained separate statehood on 1 November 2000....
state. Due to the increasing migration of labour, the west Indian state of
Gujarat also has a significant Oriya speaking population with
SuratSurat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
being the city with the second largest Oriya-speaking population in India. The Oriya-speaking people are also found in significant numbers in the cities of Vishakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Pondicherry,
BangaloreBengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
,
ChennaiChennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
,
GoaGoa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
,
MumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
,
Raipur,
Jamshedpur, Baroda,
AhmedabadAhmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
,
New DelhiNew Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
,
KolkataKolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, Kharagpur,
GuwahatiGuwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
,
Shillong-Connectivity:Although well connected by road, Shillong has no rail connection and a proper air connection. Umroi Airport exists but has only limited flights.-Roadways:Shillong is well connected by roads with all major north eastern states...
,
PunePune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, &
SilvassaSilvassa is the capital of the Indian Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.The city has a large number of factories and industries providing significant government revenue, which allows the city to maintain a low level of taxation.-Geography:Silvassa is located at...
in India.
Oriya language in foreign countries
The Oriya diaspora constitute size able number in several countries around the world. They are significant in number in countries such as Bangladesh, Indonesia, Java, Sumatra and Bali and in the western countries such as United States, Canada, Australia and England. Oriya speakers are regarded as one of the ‘Transnational Ethnic Indian Groups’. In India, the language is spoken by over 31 million people, and globally over 45 million speak Oriya. It is one of the official languages of India and the major language of Orissa. Oriya language has spread to the other parts of the globe such as Burma, Malaysia, Fiji, Indonesia, Java, Sumatra, the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and UAE.
Standard Oriya
Mughalbandi Oriya is considered as proper or Standard Oriya due to literary traditions. Mughalbandi Oriya spoken in
PuriPuri is district headquarter, a city situated about south of state capital Bhubaneswar, on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian state of Orissa. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple . It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimages...
, Khurdha,
CuttackCuttack is the former capital of the state of Orissa, India. It is the headquarters of Cuttack district and is located about 20 km to the north east of Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa. The name of the city is an anglicised form of Kataka that literally means The Fort, a reference to the...
, Jajpur,
JagatsinghpurJagatsinghapur is a town and a Municipality area in Jagatsinghpur district in the Indian state of Orissa. Jagatsingpur got the recognition of a district on 1 April 1994, which is situated at a distance of 60 km from Cuttack. Jagtsingpur district has made Orissa's literature and culture...
, Kendrapada,
DhenkanalDhenkanal District is an administrative division of Orissa, India. It is bordered by Kendujhar in the north, Jajpur in the east, Cuttack in the south and Anugul in the west. Dhenkanal town, the district headquarters has a cluster of temples, archaeological remains and a mediaeval fort. A former...
,
AngulAngul may refer to:* Angul, town in India* Angul district, India...
and
NayagarhNayagarh is a town and a notified area committee in Nayagarh district in the Indian state of Orissa. It is the headquarters of Nayagarh district.-Geography:Nayagarh is located at...
district with little variance.
Major dialects
- Midnapori Oriya: (spoken in the Midnapore
Midnapore is the district headquarters of Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal. It is situated on the banks of the Kangsabati River . This area had taken a pioneering role in India's freedom struggle...
District of West Bengal)
- Singhbhumi Oriya: Spoken in East Singhbhum
East Singhbhum is one of the twenty-four districts of Jharkhand state, India. It was created on 16 January 1990. The literal meaning of Singhbhum is land of lions. More than 50% of the district is covered by dense forests and mountains, where wild animals once roamed freely...
, West SinghbhumWest Singhbhum or Pashchimi Singhbhum is one of the 24 districts of Jharkhand state, India. It came into being in 1990, when the old Singhbhum district was bifurcated...
and Saraikela-Kharsawan district of JharkhandJharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
- Baleswari Oriya: (spoken in Baleswar, Bhadrak
Bhadrak is a city and a municipality in Bhadrak district in the state of Orissa, India.-Demographics: India census, Bhadrak had a population of 1,33,4000. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Bhadrak has an average literacy rate of 73.86, higher than the national average of...
and Mayurbhanj district of Orissa)
- Ganjami Oriya:(spoken in Ganjam
Ganjam is a town and a notified area committee in Ganjam district in the state of Orissa, India.-Geography:Ganjam is located at . It has an average elevation of 3 metres .-Demographics:...
and Gajapati districts of Orissa and SrikakulamSrikakulam is a town, municipality and headquarters of Srikakulam district in the north-eastern Andhra Pradesh, India. It is part of Srikakulam Assembly constituency and Srikakulam Parliament Constituency. Srikakulam was formerly called as Gulshanabad during Muslim rule and was headquarter of...
district of Andhra Pradesh)
- Desiya Oriya: Spoken in Koraput
Koraput is a town and a Notified Area Council in Koraput district in the Indian state of Orissa.-History:The district of Koraput derives its name from its headquarters the present town of Koraput. In ancient times when the Nalas were ruling over this tract, Pushkari near modern Umarkot was the...
, RayagadaRayagada is a municipality in Rayagada district in the Indian state of Orissa. It is the administrative headquarters of Rayagada district.-Geography:...
, Nowrangpur and MalkangiriMalkangiri is a town and a notified area committee in Malkangiri district in the Indian state of Orissa. It is the headquarters of the Malkangiri district. Malkangiri is the new home of the Bangladeshi refugees, who were rehabilitated since 1965 under the Dandakaranya project...
Districts of Orissa and in the hilly regions of Vishakhapatnam, VizianagaramVizianagaram is the main city of the Vizianagaram District of north-eastern Andhra Pradesh in southern India. Vizianagaram district was formed on 1 June 1979, with some parts carved from the neighbouring districts of Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam. It is, at present, the largest municipality of...
District of Andhra Pradesh.
- Sambalpuri
Sambalpuri or Kosli is an Indo-Aryan language. It is mainly spoken in Western Orissa and north central part of Orissa. It was considered to be a dialect of Oriya language, but owing to its distinct grammar, pronunciations and vocabulary, it has achieved the status of a distinct language...
Oriya: Spoken in BargarhBargarh District ', is an administrative district of Orissa state in eastern India. The city of Bargarh is its district headquarters. The district was carved out of the erstwhile district of Sambalpur in 1993.- Geography :...
, Bolangir, BoudhBoudh District, also called Bauda District, is an administrative district of Orissa state in eastern India. The city of Boudh is the district headquarters. As of 2011 it is the second least populous district of Orissa , after Debagarh....
, DebagarhDebagarh District, also known as Deogarh District, is a district of Orissa state, India. It is located in the northern part of the state. Debagarh is the district headquarters. The district covers an area of 2781.66 km². The district has a population of 274,095...
, JharsugudaJharsuguda is a district in Orissa, India with Jharsuguda town as its headquarters. The district once had an airport during World War II. This region is rich in coal and other mineral reserves...
, KalahandiKalahandi, , is a district of Orissa in India. The region had a glorious past and great civilization in ancient time. Archaeological evidence of stone age and Iron Age human settlement has been recovered from the region. Asurgarh offered an advanced, well civilized, cultured and urban human...
, NuapadaNuapada is a district of Orissa, India.-History:The District of Nuapada was a part of Kalahandi District till early March 1993, but for the administrative convenience, Kalahandi District was divided into two parts i.e. Kalahandi and Nuapada vide State Government Notification No. DRC-44/93/14218/R....
, SambalpurSambalpur District is a district in the western part of state of Orissa, India. The historic city of Sambalpur is the district headquarters.The district is located in the Mahanadi River basin. It has a total area of 6,702 square kilometers, of which almost 60% of the district is covered in dense...
, Subarnapur and Sundargarh districts of Orissa and by some people in RaigarhRaigarh district is a district of the state of Chhattisgarh, in India. Raigarh is the district headquarters.The languages spoken in the district are Chhattisgarhi, Oriya and Hindi....
, MahasamundMahasamund District is an administrative district in Chhattisgarh state in eastern India. The city of Mahasamund is the district headquarters.-Geography:Mahasamund District covers an area of 3902.39 km² in the central eastern part of the Chhattisgarh...
, RaipurRaipur district is a district in the Chhattisgarh state of India. Raipur is the administrative headquarter of the district. The district is rich in mineral resources. There are many wild life sanctuaries and sight seeing places worth visiting...
districts of ChhattisgarhChhattisgarh is a state in Central India, formed when the 16 Chhattisgarhi-speaking South-Eastern districts of Madhya Pradesh gained separate statehood on 1 November 2000....
state.
- Bhatri: Spoken in South-western Orissa and eastern-south Chhattisgarh.
Oriya is written with the
Oriya scriptThe Oriya script or Utkala Lipi or Utkalakshara is used to write the Oriya language, and can be used for several other Indian languages, for example, Sanskrit.- History :...
.
History
Oriya is an Eastern Indo-Aryan language belonging to the
Indo-Aryan language familyThe Indo-Aryan languages constitutes a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages, itself a branch of the Indo-European language family...
. It is thought to be directly descended from a
Magadhi PrakritMagadhi Prakrit is of one of the three Dramatic Prakrits, the written languages of Ancient India following the decline of Pali and Sanskrit. Magadhi Prakrit was spoken in the eastern Indian subcontinent, in a region spanning what is now eastern India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. It is believed to be the...
similar to Ardha Magadhi, which was spoken in eastern India over 1,500 years ago, and is the primary language used in early Jain texts. Oriya appears to have had relatively little influence from
PersianPersian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
and Arabic, compared to other major North Indian languages.
The history of the Oriya language is divided into:
- Old Oriya (7th century-1200): The origin of the Oriya literature can be traced to "Bauddha Gana O Doha", otherwise known as Charyapada
The Charyapada is a collection of 8th-12th century Vajrayana Buddhist caryagiti, or mystical poems from the tantric tradition in eastern India. Being caryagiti , the Charyapada were intended to be sung. These songs of realization were spontaneously composed verses that expressed a practitioner's...
written by the Buddhist Siddhas of Orissa. The Oriya language begins to appear in inscriptions with Oriya scripts in temples, copper plates, palm-leaf manuscripts etc. Traces of Oriya words and expressions have been found in inscriptions dating from the 7th century AD. For example, the Oriya word କୁମ୍ଭାର /kumbha:rɔ/ ‘potter’ occurs in a copperplate inscription ‘belonging to a date not later than the 7th century AD’. Similarly, in inscriptions of 991 AD, Oriya words like ଭିତୁରୁ /bhituru/ ‘from inside’ and ପନ୍ଦର /pɔndɔrɔ/ ‘fifteen’ can be found. ‘An OriyaThe Oriya script or Utkala Lipi or Utkalakshara is used to write the Oriya language, and can be used for several other Indian languages, for example, Sanskrit.- History :...
Passage’ also has been found in another inscription of about 715 AD.
- Early Middle Oriya (1200–1400): The earliest use of prose can be found in the Madala Panji
Madala Panji is a chronicle of the Jagannath in Puri, Orissa state, India. It describes the historical events of Orissa related to Lord Jagannath or Jagannath Temple. Though the actual date of starting of Panjis is not known, but it is believed that it might be started from 12th or 14th Century AD...
or the Palm-leaf Chronicles of the Jagannatha temple at Puri, which date back to the 12Year 12 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caesar and Capito...
th century.
- Middle Oriya (1400–1700): Mahabharat, Chandi Puran, Vilanka Ramayan of Shudramuni Sarala Das. Arjuna Das, a contemporary to Sarala Dasa, wrote Rama-Bibha, a significant long poem in Oriya. Towards the 16th century, five poets emerged, though there are hundreds year gap in between them. But they are known as Panchasakha's as they believed to same school of thought, Utkaliya Vaishnavism. The poets are Balaram Das, Jagannath Das, Achyutananda Das, Ananta Das and Jasobanta Das.
- Late Middle Oriya (1700–1850): Usabhilasa of Sisu Sankara Das, the Rahasya-manjari of Deva-durlabha Dasa and the Rukmini-bibha of Kartikka Das were written. A new form of novels in verse evolved during the beginning of the 17th century when Ramachandra Pattanayaka wrote Haravali. Upendra Bhanja took a leading role in this period, his creations were Baidehisha Bilasa, Koti Brahmanda Sundari, Lavanyabati were proved landmark in Oriya Literature. Dinakrushna Das’s Rasokallola and Abhimanyu samanta Simhara’s Bidagdha Chintamani are prominent Kavyas of this time. Four major poets emerged in the end of the era are Kabi surya Baladeb Rath,Santha Kabi or Andha Muni Bhima Bhoi, Brajanath Badajena and Gopal Krushna Pattanaik.
- Modern Oriya (1850 till present day): The first Oriya printing typeset was cast in 1836 by the Christian missionaries which made a great revolutions in Oriya literature and language.
Ancient Form of Oriya Language in 2nd Century BC Rock edict King Ashoka
The script in the
edicts of AshokaThe Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Ashoka, as well as boulders and cave walls, made by the Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan dynasty during his reign from 269 BCE to 231 BCE. These inscriptions are dispersed throughout the areas of modern-day Bangladesh, India,...
in 2nd century BC at
DhauliDhauli hills are located on the banks of the river Daya, 8 km south of Bhubaneswar in Orissa . It is a hill with vast open space adjoining it, and has major Edicts of Ashoka engraved on a mass of rock, by the side of the road leading to the summit of the hill...
and Jaugada and the inscriptions of Kharavela in Hati Gumpha of Khandagiri give us the first glimpse of possible origin of Oriya language. From the point of view of language, the inscriptions of Hati Gumpha are near modern Oriya and essentially different from the language of the Ashokan edicts. A point has also been made as to whether
Pali
was the prevalent language in Orissa during this period. The Hati Gumpha inscriptions, which are in Pali, are perhaps the only evidence of stone inscriptions in Pali. This may be the reason why the German linguist Prof.
Hermann OldenbergHermann Oldenberg was a German scholar of Indology, and Professor at Kiel and Göttingen .His 1881 study on Buddhism, entitled Buddha: Sein Leben, seine Lehre, seine Gemeinde, based on Pāli texts, popularized Buddhism and have remained continuously in print since their first publication. With T. W...
mentioned that Pali was the original language of Orissa.
Traces of Oriya words and expressions have been found in inscriptions dating from the 7th century AD. For example, the Oriya word କୁମ୍ଭାର /kumbha:rɔ/ ‘potter’ occurs in a copperplate inscription ‘belonging to a date not later than the 7th century AD’. Similarly, in inscriptions of 991 AD, Oriya words like ଭିତୁରୁ /bhituru/ ‘from inside’ and ପନ୍ଦର /pɔndɔrɔ/ ‘fifteen’ can be found. ‘An Oriya Passage’ also has been found in another inscription of about 715 AD.
Charyapada of 8th Century and its affinity with Oriya language
The beginnings of Oriya poetry coincide with the development of Charya Sahitya, the literature thus started by Mahayana Buddhist poets. This literature was written in a specific metaphor named “Sandhya Bhasha” and the poets like Luipa, Kanhupa are from the territory of Orissa. The language of Charya was considered as Prakrita. In one of his poems, Kanhupa wrote:
"Your hut stands outside the city
Oh, untouchable maid
The bald Brahmin passes sneaking close by
Oh, my maid, I would make you my companion
Kanha is a kapali, a yogi
He is naked and has no disgust
There is a lotus with sixty-four petals
Upon that the maid will climb with this poor self and dance."
The language of Kanhupa's poetry has strange resmblence with modern Oriya language. For example :
"Ekaso padumo chowshathi pakhudi
Tahin chadhi nachao dombi bapudi"
Paduma (Padma:Lotus), Chowshathi (64), Pakhudi (petals) Tahin (There), Chadhi (rise) nachao (to dance) Dombi (a female of Orissa from untouchable caste), Bapudi (a very colloqual Oriya language to apply as 'poor fellow').
or
"Hali Dombi,Tote puchhami sadbhabe.
Isisi jasi dombi kahari nabe."
These poems needn't require any translation in modern Oriya dilects.
Poet Jayadeva's literary contribution
JayadevaJayadeva was a Sanskrit poet circa 1200 AD. He is most known for his composition, the epic poem Gita Govinda, which depicts the divine love of Krishna-an avatar of Vishnu and his consort, Radha, and it is mentioned that Radha is greater than Hari, and is considered an important text in the...
was a Sanskrit poet. He was born in an
Utkala BrahminUtkala Brahmin also known as Oriya or Orissa Brahmins, is a Varna from the Indian state of Orissa previously known as Utkala Kingdom, Kalinga Kingdom & neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal & Jharkhand.-Background:The Utkala Kingdom was located in the eastern portion of...
family of Puri in circa 1200 AD. He is most known for his composition, the epic poem
Gita GovindaThe Gita Govinda is a work composed by the 12th-century poet, Jayadeva, who was born in Kenduli Sasan near Puri in Orissa. It describes the relationship between Krishna and the gopis of Vrindavana, and in particular one gopi named Radha...
, which depicts the divine love of the Hindu deity Krishna and his consort, Radha, and is considered an important text in the Bhakti movement of Hinduism. About the end of the 13th century and the beginning of the 14th, the influence of
Jayadeva's literary contributionJayadeva was a well known Sanskrit poet and lyricist who was born in Kenduli, Orissa in the 11th century AD. The works of Jayadeva have had a profound influence on Indian culture. It forms the basis of the east Indian classical dance form, Odissi, and has strongly influenced the Bharatanatyam...
changed the pattern of versification in Oriya.
John BeamesJohn Beames was a civil servant in British India and an author. The eldest son of Rev. Thomas Beames, preacher of St James's Church, Piccadilly and grandson of John Beames Esq., a barrister and later bencher of Lincoln’s Inn, Beames was educated at Merchant Taylors' School and Haileybury College...
, a British author and civil servant in British India who stayed for a considerable time in Orissa and worked for the survival of Oriya language quotes:
At a period when Oriya was already a fixed and settled language, Bengali did not exist. The Bengalis spoke a vast variety of corrupt forms of Eastern Hindi. It is not till quite recent times that we find anything that can with propriety be called a Bengali language.
We may place the Hindi with its subsidary forms Gujurati and Punjabi first fixing their rise and establishment as a modern languages distinct from their previous existence as Prakrut till the 12th or m13th century. Oriya must have quite completed its transformation by the end of the 14th century. Bengali was no separate independent language but a maze of dialects without a distinct national or provincial type till the 17th or beginning of the 18th century. It was not till the gradual decay of the central Mohamedan power of Delhi enabled the provincial governers to assume an independent position that Bengali severed itself from Hindi and assumed characteristics which now vindicate for its right to be called a separate language.
Literature
The history of Oriya literature begins in the 14th century, with the poet
Sarala DasaSarala Dasa was one of the great scholars of Oriya literature whose work formed a perennial source of information for succeeding generations....
's works Chandi Purana and Vilanka Ramayana, in praise of the goddess
DurgaFor the 1985 Hindi Film of Rajesh Khanna see DurgaaIn Hinduism, Durga ; ; meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible"; , durga) or Maa Durga "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion...
. Rama-bibaha, written by Arjuna Dasa, was the first long poem written in the Oriya language.
The following era is termed the
Panchasakha AgeOriya is an official language of the state of Orissa, India. The region has been known at different stages of history as Kalinga, Udra, Utkala, or Koshala. The language is also spoken by minority populations of the neighboring states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. The...
and stretches until the year 1700. The period begins with the writings of Shri Chaitanya whose Vaishnava influence brought in a new evolution in Oriya literature. Notable religious works of the Panchasakha Age include the Balarama Dasa, Jagannatha Dash, Yasovanta,
AnantaAnanta is a Sanskrit word meaning "without end".It may refer to:*Ananta , one of the names of Vishnu.*Ananta , Actor and Producer for Bengali film.*Ananta, a serpent on which Vishnu lies, aka Shesha....
and
AcyutanandaAchyutananda Das was a 16th century poet seer and Vaisnava saint from Orissa, India. He was considered to have the power to see the past, present and future...
. The authors of this period mainly translated, adapted, or imitated Sanskrit literature. Other prominent works of the period include the Usabhilasa of Sisu Sankara Dasa, the Rahasya-manjari of Deva-durlabha Dasa and the Rukmini-bibha of Kartikka Dasa. A new form of novels in verse evolved during the beginning of the 17th century when Ramachandra Pattanayaka wrote Haravali. Other poets like Madhusudana,
BhimaIn the Mahābhārata, Bhima is one of the central characters of Mahabharata and the second of the Pandava brothers...
, Dhivara, Sadasiva and Sisu Isvara-dasa composed another form called kavyas (long poems) based on themes from Puranas, with an emphasis on plain, simple language.
However, during the Bhanja Age (also known as the Age of Riti Yuga) beginning with turn of the 18th century, verbally tricky Oriya became the order of the day. Verbal jugglery, obscenity and eroticism characterise the period between 1700–1850, particularly in the works of the era's eponymous poet
Kabi Samrat Upendra BhanjaUpendra Bhanja was considered as the greatest poet of Oriya Literature and was awarded the title "Kavi-Samrata" – "The Emperor of the Poets". Born in a royal family, Upendra Bhanja had never eyed for throne...
(1670–1720). Bhanja's work inspired many imitators of which the most notable is Arakshita Das. Family chronicles in prose relating religious festivals and rituals are also characteristic of the period.
The first Oriya printing typeset was cast in 1836 by Christian missionaries. Although the handwritten Oriya script of the time closely resembled the
BengaliThe Bengali alphabet is the writing system for the Bengali language. The script with variations is used for Assamese and is basis for Meitei, Bishnupriya Manipuri, Kokborok, Garo and Mundari alphabets. All these languages are spoken in the eastern region of South Asia. Historically, the script has...
and
Assamese scriptThe Assamese script is a variant of the Eastern Nagari script also used for Bengali and Bishnupriya Manipuri. The Eastern Nagari script belongs to the Brahmic family of scripts and has a continuous history of development from Nagari script, a precursor of Devanagari...
s, the one adopted for the printed typesets was significantly different, leaning more towards the
Tamil scriptThe Tamil script is a script that is used to write the Tamil language as well as other minority languages such as Badaga, Irulas, and Paniya...
and
Telugu scriptTelugu script, an abugida from the Brahmic family of scripts, is used to write the Telugu language, a language found in the South-Central Indian state of Andhra Pradesh as well as several other neighboring states. The Telugu script is derived from the Bhattiprolu script...
.
Amos SuttonAmos Sutton was a General Baptist missionary to Orissa, India.He translated the Bible into the Oriya language, and published the first Oriya dictionary and Introduction to Oriya Grammar ....
produced an Oriya Bible (1840), Oriya Dictionary (1841–43) and an
An Introductory Grammar of Oriya (1844).
Oriya has a rich literary heritage dating back to the thirteenth century.
Sarala DasaSarala Dasa was one of the great scholars of Oriya literature whose work formed a perennial source of information for succeeding generations....
who lived in the fourteenth century is known as the
VyasaVyasa is a central and revered figure in most Hindu traditions. He is also sometimes called Veda Vyasa , or Krishna Dvaipayana...
of Orissa. He translated the
MahabharataThe Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
into Oriya. In fact, the language was initially standardised through a process of translating classical Sanskrit texts such as the Mahabharata,
RamayanaThe Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
and Srimad Bhagabatam. The translation of the Srimad Bhagabatam by Jagannatha Das was particularly influential on the written form of the language. Oriya has had a strong tradition of poetry, especially
devotionalWorship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship.Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The absolute...
poetry.
Other eminent Oriya poets include
Kabi Samrat Upendra BhanjaUpendra Bhanja was considered as the greatest poet of Oriya Literature and was awarded the title "Kavi-Samrata" – "The Emperor of the Poets". Born in a royal family, Upendra Bhanja had never eyed for throne...
and Kabi Surya Bala Dev Ratha.
Prose in the language has had a late development.
Three great poets and prose writers,
Kabibar Radhanath Ray Radhanath Ray is the principal architect of the era of initial modernity in Oriya poetry during the later part of nineteenth century and is honoured in Oriya literature with the title “Kabibara”...
(1849–1908),
Fakir Mohan SenapatiFakir Mohan Senapati born on January 13, 1843, at Mallikashpur in Balasore, played a leading role in establishing the distinct identity of Oriya, a language mainly spoken in the Indian state of Orissa...
(1843–1918) and Madhusudana Rao (1853–1912) made Oriya their own. They brought in a modern outlook and spirit into Oriya literature. Around the same time the modern drama took birth in the works of Rama Sankara Ray beginning with Kanci-Kaveri (1880).
One of the prominent writers of 19th and 20th century was Mr. Muralidhar Mallick(1927–2002). His contribution to Historical novels is beyond words. He was last felicitated by the Sahitya Academy in the year 1998 for his contributions to Oriya literature.
His son Dr.Khagendranath Mallick(1951-) is also a well known writer of the 20th and the 21st century. His contribution towards Poetry, Criticism, Essays, Story and novels is commendable. He was the former President of Utkal Kala Parishad and also former President of Orissa Geeti Kabi Samaj. Presently he is a member of the Executive Committee of Utkal Sahitya Samaj.Another illustrious writer of the 20th century was Mr. Chintamani Das. A noted academician, he was written more than 40 books on fiction, short stories, biographies, storybooks for children. Born in 1903 in Sriramachandrapur village under Satyabadi block, Chintamani Das is the only writer who has written biographies on all the five 'Pancha Sakhas' of Satyabadi namely Pandit Gopabandhu Das, Acharya Harihara, Nilakantha Das,Krupasindhu Mishra and Pandit Godabarisha. Having served as the Head of the Oriya department of Khallikote College, Berhampur,Chintamani Das was felicitated with the Sahitya Akademi Samman in 1970 for his outstanding contribution to Oriya literature in general and Satyabadi Yuga literature in particular. Some of his well-known literary creations are 'Bhala Manisha Hua', 'Manishi Nilakantha', 'Kabi Godabarisha', 'Byasakabi Fakiramohan', 'Usha', 'Barabati'.
20th century writers in Oriya include Pallikabi
Nanda Kishore BalNanda Kishore Bal , was an Indian poet of the era of initial modernity in Oriya poetry. He was born at Kusupur village in the Cuttack district of Orissa...
(1875–1928),
Gangadhar MeherGangadhar Meher , renowned Oriya poet of 19th century also known as Swabhab Kavi,was a literary Midas, who transformed everything into gold by the alchemic touch of his genius. He was a born poet of delicate charm. His was a clean white style. His poem Bhakti bears eloquent testimony to the change...
(1862–1924), Chintamani Mahanti and Kuntala-Kumari Sabat Utkala-Bharati, besides Niladri Dasa and
Gopabandhu DasGopabandhu Dash known as Utkalamani was a social worker who excelled in the field of politics as well as literature.-Early life : The revolutionary student:...
(1877–1928). The most notable novelists were Umesa Sarakara, Divyasimha Panigrahi, Gopala Praharaja and
Kalindi Charan PanigrahiKalindi Charan Panigrahi , was a noted Oriya poet, novelist, story writer, dramatist and essayist. He was one of the members of the Oriya literary group Sabuja Gosthi...
. Sachi Kanta Rauta Ray is the great introducer of the ultra-modern style in modern Oriya poetry. Others who took up this form were Godabarisa Mohapatra, Dr Mayadhara Manasimha, Nityananda Mahapatra and Kunjabihari Dasa. Prabhasa Chandra Satpathi is known for his translations of some western classics apart from Udayanatha Shadangi, Sunanda Kara and Surendranatha Dwivedi. Criticism, essays and history also became major lines of writing in the Oriya language. Esteemed writers in this field were Professor Girija Shankar Ray, Pandit Vinayaka Misra, Professor Gauri Kumara Brahma, Jagabandhu Simha and Hare Krushna Mahatab. Oriya literature mirrors the industrious, peaceful and artistic image of the
Oriya peopleThe Oriya, known classically by various names , are an ethnic group of eastern India and of eastern Indo-Aryan stock...
who have offered and gifted much to the Indian civilization in the field of art and literature. Now Writers
Manoj DasManoj Das is an Indian award-winning author who writes in Oriya and English.Manoj Das, a profilic author,he is India's foremost short story writers. He writes both in Oriya and english and is a proffesor of English at the Sri Aurobindo International University, Pondicherry.Manoj Das was born in a...
's creations motivated & inspired people towards a possitive lifestyle .Distinguished prose writers of the modern period include
Fakir Mohan SenapatiFakir Mohan Senapati born on January 13, 1843, at Mallikashpur in Balasore, played a leading role in establishing the distinct identity of Oriya, a language mainly spoken in the Indian state of Orissa...
,
Madhusudan DasUtkal Gourav Madhusudan Das was born on 28 April 1848 in a village called Satyabhamapur, 20 kilometres from Cuttack, Orissa. He was the first Graduate and Advocate of Orissa.-Family:...
, Godabarisha Mohapatra, Kalindi Charan Panigrahi, Surendra Mohanty,
Manoj DasManoj Das is an Indian award-winning author who writes in Oriya and English.Manoj Das, a profilic author,he is India's foremost short story writers. He writes both in Oriya and english and is a proffesor of English at the Sri Aurobindo International University, Pondicherry.Manoj Das was born in a...
, Kishori Charan Das, Gopinath Mohanty, Rabi Patnaik, Chandrasekhar Rath, Binapani Mohanty, Bhikari Rath,
Jagadish MohantyJagadish Mohanty ' is a renowned Oriya writer, considered as a trendsetter in modern Oriya fiction, has received the prestigious Sarala Award 2003, Orissa Sahitya Akademy Award 1990, Jhankar Award, 1985 Dharitri Award, Prajatantra Award....
,
Sarojini SahooSarojini Sahoo is an Orissa Sahitya Academy Award winner Indian feminist writer, a columnist in The New Indian Express and associate editor of Chennai based English magazine Indian AGE, who has been enlisted among 25 Exceptional Women of India by ‘Kindle’ English magazine of Kolkata.Born in the...
, Yashodhara Mishra, Ramchandra Behera, Padmaja Pal. But it is poetry that makes modern Oriya literature a force to reckon with. Poets like
Kabibar Radhanath Ray Radhanath Ray is the principal architect of the era of initial modernity in Oriya poetry during the later part of nineteenth century and is honoured in Oriya literature with the title “Kabibara”...
, Sachidananda Routray, Guruprasad Mohanty, Soubhagya Misra, Ramakanta Rath, Sitakanta Mohapatra, Rajendra Kishore Panda, Pratibha Satpathy have made significant contributions towards Indian poetry.
Phonology
Oriya has 28 consonant phonemes and 6 vowel phonemes.
Vowels
| |
Front |
Back |
| High |
i |
u |
| Mid |
e |
o |
| Low |
a |
|ɔ |
Consonants
| |
Labial |
Dental |
Alveolar |
Retroflex |
Palatal |
Velar |
Glottal |
| Voiceless stops |
p
pʰ |
t̪
t̪ʰ |
|
ʈ
ʈʰ |
t͡ʃ
t͡ʃʰ |
k
kʰ |
|
| Voiced stops |
b
bʱ |
d̪
d̪ʱ |
|
ɖ
ɖʱ |
d͡ʒ
d͡ʒʱ |
ɡ
ɡʱ |
|
| Voiceless fricatives |
|
|
s |
|
|
|
h |
| Nasals |
m |
|
n |
ɳ |
|
|
|
| Liquids |
|
|
l, r |
|ɭ |
|
|
|
Final vowels are standard and pronounced.
Morphology
Unlike
HindiStandard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, Oriya retains most of the cases of
SanskritSanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, though the nominative and vocative have merged (both without a separate marker), as have the accusative and dative. There are three genders (masculine, feminine and neuter), and two grammatical numbers (singular and plural). There are three true tenses (the present, past and future), others being formed with auxiliaries.
See also
- Oriya script
The Oriya script or Utkala Lipi or Utkalakshara is used to write the Oriya language, and can be used for several other Indian languages, for example, Sanskrit.- History :...
- Oriya literature
Oriya is an official language of the state of Orissa, India. The region has been known at different stages of history as Kalinga, Udra, Utkala, or Koshala. The language is also spoken by minority populations of the neighboring states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. The...
- Oriya people
The Oriya, known classically by various names , are an ethnic group of eastern India and of eastern Indo-Aryan stock...
- Oriya morphology
- Languages of India
The languages of India belong to several language families, the major ones being the Indo-European languages—Indo-Aryan and the Dravidian languages...
- Kalahandia Language
Kalahandia Oriya is a dialect of Oriya spoken in the region of Kalahandi district of Orissa in India. Kalahandia Oriya is Sambalpuri/ Kosli language with a few alternate words only...
- Sambalpuri Language
Sambalpuri or Kosli is an Indo-Aryan language. It is mainly spoken in Western Orissa and north central part of Orissa. It was considered to be a dialect of Oriya language, but owing to its distinct grammar, pronunciations and vocabulary, it has achieved the status of a distinct language...
- Languages with official status in India
- List of Indian languages by total speakers
- Brahmic family of scripts
The Brahmic or Indic scripts are a family of abugida writing systems. They are used throughout South Asia , Southeast Asia, and parts of Central and East Asia, and are descended from the Brāhmī script of the ancient Indian subcontinent...
- Madala Panji
Madala Panji is a chronicle of the Jagannath in Puri, Orissa state, India. It describes the historical events of Orissa related to Lord Jagannath or Jagannath Temple. Though the actual date of starting of Panjis is not known, but it is believed that it might be started from 12th or 14th Century AD...
- Laxmi Puran
Balaram Das, a major poet of Oriya literature, and considered as the senior most poet in the Age of Panchasakha wrote the Laxmi Purana in 15th century .-Synopsis of Laksmi Purana:...
Further reading
- Ghosh, A. (2003). An ethnolinguistic profile of Eastern India: a case of South Orissa. Burdwan: Dept. of Bengali (D.S.A.), University of Burdwan.
- Masica, Colin (1991). The Indo-Aryan Languages. Cambridge Language Surveys. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-29944-2
- Mohanty, Prasanna Kumar (2007). The History of: History of Oriya Literature (Odia Sahityara Adya Aitihasika Gana).
External links