Finance
Odisha is celebrating the 89th foundation day of the state today, also known as ‘Utkal Diwas’. On this day in the year 1936, Odisha became an independent state.
Every year on April 1, Utkal Divas, also called Odisha Day or Utkala Dibasa, is observed in remembrance of the great fight that the state that was formerly a part of Kalinga, under the rule of Emperor Ashok, and then Kharavela, undertook to earn its independence.
Odisha became the first independent state on language basis in India on this day 88 years ago.
After a protracted battle spanning more than three centuries, the state was granted province status. When the provinces of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa were divided into separate states, the state embarked on a new path.
Odishans typically observe Utkal Divas on this day by holding a number of public gatherings and festivities. The capital city Bhubaneswar already wore a glittering look on the eve of Utkal Divas, where all major government buildings such as the State Assembly, Secretariat, Police Commissionerate, and many others dazzled with colorful lights.
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.
Utkala Gouraba, Madhusudan Das, Utkala Mani, Gopabandhu Das, Fakir Mohan Senapati, Pandita Nilakantha Das, and numerous others are notable figures from that movement.
The state was formerly known as Orissa, but in March 2011, the Lok Sabha renamed it Odisha by passing the Orissa Bill and Constitution Bill (113th amendment).
As a result, Utkal Divas has remained one of the most important days in Odisha’s (previously Orissa’s) history since 1936.
