Let's have a small talk on the issue of change of the name of the eastern Indian state, from Orissa to Odisha.
Of late a section of the media has become vocal by indicating how the name change process is far from complete by showing official signboards still carrying the old spelling. This is a continuation of the disparagements that were heaped at the beginning by questioning the need for a such a change.
My two cents on this:
'Orissa' had gone so deep into the psyche of the English educated people that many so-called intellectuals rubbished the idea of a name change and some others though did not reject the same outright, yet issued veiled disparagements.
Now these people shed copious amount of tear on the wasteful expenditure that would ensue to give effect to this fancy...
Now, if the government allows "Orissa" to slowly fade away than aggressively erase it, there is this comment...
The situation is best described by the Odia cliche "Enu mailey go hatya, senu mailey brhma hatya"!
Well this is democracy ....
What an irony! all the Odia literature, including Mr J B Patnaik & Mr Mahatab, could not see something which was so obvious and the same asymmetry was felt and addressed by Mr Naveen Patnaik, who is still accused of not being able to speak Odia! May be this is what has really created a loss of credibility for many Odias and they are yet to digest this symbolic yet historical change hence the incessant belittling of this government under him ???
Well, this is not something very new; it has historical parallel! Legend has it that, the completion of the historic Konark Sun temple in Odisha could be achieved only after a 12 year old boy- Dharmapada- gave his master touch. The 1200 matured craftsmen- engaged for 12 long years in building this monument- could not digest this and wanted this to remain a secret for ever! Result, Dharmapada had to be sacrificed to maintain their vanity...
Hats off to the Dharmapadas- statesmen- who have the gall to stand up to the occasion, in the face of such obscurantism and face the brick bats in the now, to create a proud legacy for the posterity!
Of late a section of the media has become vocal by indicating how the name change process is far from complete by showing official signboards still carrying the old spelling. This is a continuation of the disparagements that were heaped at the beginning by questioning the need for a such a change.
My two cents on this:
'Orissa' had gone so deep into the psyche of the English educated people that many so-called intellectuals rubbished the idea of a name change and some others though did not reject the same outright, yet issued veiled disparagements.
Now these people shed copious amount of tear on the wasteful expenditure that would ensue to give effect to this fancy...
Now, if the government allows "Orissa" to slowly fade away than aggressively erase it, there is this comment...
The situation is best described by the Odia cliche "Enu mailey go hatya, senu mailey brhma hatya"!
Well this is democracy ....
What an irony! all the Odia literature, including Mr J B Patnaik & Mr Mahatab, could not see something which was so obvious and the same asymmetry was felt and addressed by Mr Naveen Patnaik, who is still accused of not being able to speak Odia! May be this is what has really created a loss of credibility for many Odias and they are yet to digest this symbolic yet historical change hence the incessant belittling of this government under him ???
Well, this is not something very new; it has historical parallel! Legend has it that, the completion of the historic Konark Sun temple in Odisha could be achieved only after a 12 year old boy- Dharmapada- gave his master touch. The 1200 matured craftsmen- engaged for 12 long years in building this monument- could not digest this and wanted this to remain a secret for ever! Result, Dharmapada had to be sacrificed to maintain their vanity...
Hats off to the Dharmapadas- statesmen- who have the gall to stand up to the occasion, in the face of such obscurantism and face the brick bats in the now, to create a proud legacy for the posterity!
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