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Bhubaneswar:3/2/25:At a time when Odisha and the Odia language were struggling for their stability and nationalism, Bhaktakabi Madhusudan Rao brought back the heart and glory of our state by publishing the book Chhabila Madhu Barnabodha, said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on the occasion of unveiling the reprinted edition of ‘Barnabodh’ and its digital copy.
The state government has set a target to print 10,000 copies of this book this year. The Chief Minister said that re-publishing the Barnabodh written by Madhusudan Rao on his birth anniversary is the best tribute of the Odias to the Bhaktakabi.
Gracing the event organized by the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department at Krushi Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, CM Majhi said that ‘Barnabodha’ was written to respect the original nature of the Odia language in the minds of the people. Its author, Bhaktakabi Madhusudan Rao, has very beautifully demonstrated in this book how to teach letters, consonants, words, and sentence formation to tender-minded students in a simple way.
“The language of Varnabodh was very simple and easy. By giving simple examples like animals, birds, morning, evening, and the surrounding scenery, the devotee poet attracted the tender mind. This book became a part of every Odia family in a very short time. Barnabodha reached every home. The book was first published in 1895. Its popularity grew so much that between 1895 and 1901, there were eight editions of the book,” he said.
The Chief Minister said we have all grown up reading this ‘Barnabodha’, we have learned the Odia language. Barnabodha has become a nucleus of deep belief in our soil, water, and air. For us, ‘Barnabodha’ was called, ‘Chhabila Madhu Barnabodha’. There is no alternative to Barnabodh for teaching Odia language. Barnabodh is very necessary for learning pure Odia. Today, ‘Joyful Teaching & Learning’ is being implemented in our modern primary education system. Its aim is that if teaching is done through pictures, toys, and examples, it will be understandable for the children. The father of this education was Madhusudan Rao. He made teaching understandable in simple language and through small verses.
He further said that Barnabodha is the favorite book of every Odia. It is an eternal masterpiece that has influenced the education of a state and a prosperous nation for a long time. Even after 130 years, there is no alternative to it. We attach importance to showing due respect to the great creators of language literature. The contribution of eminent linguists and writers Kailash Chandra Tikayat Ray, Dash Benhur, Baishnab Charan Mohanty, Haraprasad Mishra, and Santosh Kumar Rath for the new illustrated edition of the book by the Odia Language Institute is commendable. The Chief Minister thanked the Odia Language, Literature, and Culture Department and the Institute of Odia Studies for this initiative.
The Chief Minister expressed his hope that this new edition will be very popular with all children and it will help them to learn Odia language easily. On this occasion, the Chief Minister also released the digital version of Barnabodha.
Deputy Chief Minister Parvati Parida said that nowadays children are being taught through pictures in smart classrooms. Bhaktakabi, born in 1853, was the one who gave the smart book to the children. At that time, the creators created awareness through literature. Our efforts to enrich our language and literature are ongoing and with your cooperation, it will be strengthened.
Ekamra-Bhubaneswar MLA Babu Singh said that we feel proud of our culture. It is the responsibility of all of us to preserve culture. He said that today’s auspicious day, Shri Panchami, is a day of determination for us to maintain culture, self-respect, and harmony.
The Principal Secretary, of the OLL&C Department, Sanjeev Kumar Mishra delivered the welcome speech while Director Bijay Ketan Upadhyay proposed the vote of thanks.
