Oriya Literature - Age of Upendra Bhanja

Age of Upendra Bhanja

After the age of the Panchasakhas, a few prominent works were written, including the Usabhilasa of Sisu Sankara Das, the Rahasya-manjari of Deva-durlabha Dasa and the Rukmini-bibha of Kartikka Das. A new form of novels in verse evolved at the beginning of the 17th century when Ramachandra Pattanayaka wrote Haravali. The prominent poets of the period, however, are Dinakrushna Das, Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja and Abhimanyu Samanta Simhar. Their poetry, especially that of Upendra Bhanja, is characterised by verbal tricks, obscenity and eroticism.

Upendra Bhanja's works Baidehisha Bilasa, Koti Brahmanda Sundari and Lavanyabati are considered landmarks of Oriya Literature. He was conferred with the title "Kabi Samrat" of Oriya literature for his aesthetic poetic sense and skill with words.

Dinakrushna Das’s Rasokallola and Abhimanyu Samanta Simhara’s Bidagdha Chintamani are also prominent kavyas of this time. These poets significantly influenced modern Oriya Literature. Towards the end of Riti Yuga, the age of Upendra Bhanja, four major poets emerged and to created the History. These were Kabi Surya Baladeb Rath, Brajanath Badajena, Gopal Krushna Pattanaik and Bhima Bhoi. Kabisurya Baladev Rath wrote his poems in champu and chautisha, the new form and style of poetry. Brajanath Badjena started a tradition of prose fiction, though he was not an excellent prose writer. His Chatur Binoda (Amusement of Intelligent) seems to be the first work that deals with different kinds of rasas, predominantly the bibhatsa rasa, but often verges on nonsense.