Sribasta Panda

( Jan 01 1870 - Jan 01 1943 )

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Achievements

Sribatsa Panda was the Pioneer of Arya Samaj Movement in Orissa. He was born in 1870, at the village Mandara near Bhanjanagar of Ganjam District [17] . Sribatsa Panda played a significant role in the Oriya Movement, Non-co-operation Movement and the Arya Samaj Movement in Orissa. In fact the Arya Samaj Movement in Orissa was the life and legacy of Sribatsa Panda. After completing his school and college he joined the Rajmahendri College in 1896 for higher studies. He was deeply influenced by the writings of Swami Dayananda Saraswati and Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar. He translated the monumental work of Satyartha Prakash of Dayanda Saraswati in to Oriya. In order to implement the Arya Samaj ideals in Orissa, he adopted four-fold programmes. He established branches of Arya Samaj in Orissa.18 He selected a band of dedicated workers for the spread and implementation of Arya Samaj activities in Orissa. He sent a number of Oriya youths to Lahore Gurukul Training School for training and made press was the most powerful media for arousing public opinion. Therefore in order to eradicate the blind faiths, believes and prejudices from society he published articles in the newspapers and journals. He edited and published monthly Journals like ‘Sanskar’ and ‘Arya’. As a literatteur and dramatist he composed and published 37 books including dramas. He devoted his entire life and resources for the social reforms and upliftment of the down trodden. Eradication of untouchability was another praise worthly work of Sri Panda. To him it is a social crime. For the purpose of eradication of this social evil he chalked out two plans. Firstly he made the best use of his talents in publishing articles, journals and books in support of eradicating of untouchability. Secondly he himself along with some of his friends used to take water and food from the hands of the untouchables before the public. It is more interesting that he started his agitation for the eradication of untouchability much before the Harijan movement of Mahatma Gandhi started in Orissa. He endeavored to remove the defects of the depressed classes and wanted to provide them equal status with other general castes of the society. Hs book Acchabajati is a shining specimen in this regard. Puri, Berhampur, Bhanjanagar and his village Mandar were the main centres of his reformation activities. He always criticized the conservative Brahmins of Orissa. Once while he visited Puri he criticized the pundits of Muktimandap in strong words. As a reaction to this Sri Panda was rebuked and disgraced by the Pandits and Sevayats of Puri temple as “Dutiya Kalapahada”. It is interesting to note that Jaya Mangal Rath a co-worker of Sribatsa Panda and an orthodox Brahmin of Berhampur married to a lady of Hadi (sweeper) Caste. Another most notable achievement of Sribatsa Panda was the spread of Arya Samaj ideas in Orissa. He founded a branch of Arya Samaj in 1903 at Bhanjanagar. He donated a portion of his own building at Rasulkunda for this purpose. It was said to be the first branch of Arya Samaj in Orissa.

Profession

Social Worker

Address

Village Mandara near Bhanjanagar of Ganjam District, Orissa