Bhubaneswar: Odisha is celebrating the Utkal Divas, also known as Utakala Dibasa, today to commemorate the struggles of its heroes in achieving statehood status on April 1, 1936. The day is celebrated on April 1 across the state and the Odia diaspora with equal enthusiasm.
Odisha became the first independent state in India formed on a language basis on this day 88 years ago. Earlier Odisha was a part of the Bengal Province and after revolutionary efforts for three decades, the region was declared as an independent state.
Utkal Divas is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour across Odisha. On this day, people pray for the good health of the state and its people. Celebrating Utkala Divas or Utakala Dibasa is an essential step in asserting the identity of the Odia people as they had to struggle for this independence.
History
The region became a part of Kalinga after it was conquered by Mauryan King Ashoka in 261 BC to expand its empire. After the Mauryan rule, the reign of King Kharavela began in Odisha. Kharavela managed to avenge the Mauryan invasion by defeating the Magadh rulers. According to historians, Kharavela laid the foundation for Odisha’s fame as a land of art, architecture and sculpture. He also managed to establish a powerful political state.
Gajapati Mukunda Deva was the last Hindu king of Odisha. He was defeated by the Mughals in 1576. A few hundred years later, the British took over and divided the state into different parts. The northern and western districts of the state became part of what was then called the Bengal Presidency.
Struggle For Independence
The struggle for independence for the Odias intensified with the formation of the Utkala Sammilani, a cultural and social organisation to fight for the formation of Odisha as an independent state. Utkala Gouraba Madhusudan Das founded this organisation in 1903, and in its honour, the formation of Odisha state is celebrated as Utkal Divas. The struggle for a separate state finally paid off on April 1, 1936. Sir John Hubbak was the first governor of the state.
Notable leaders from that movement are Utkala Gouraba, Madhusudan Das, Utkala Mani, Gopabandhu Das, Fakir Mohan Senapati, Pandita Nilakantha Das, and many others.
The state was originally called Orissa but the Lok Sabha passed the Orissa Bill and Constitution Bill (113rd amendment), in March 2011 to rename it Odisha.
Therefore since 1936, Utkal Divas has continued to be one of the most critical days in the history of Odisha (formerly Orissa).
