Mukura

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Mukura
Mukura cover.jpg
Cover of Mukura magazine
EditorBraja Sundar Das
FrequencyMonthly (1906–1930)
PublisherMukura Press
CountryIndia
LanguageEnglish, Odia

Mukura was a 20th century Odia magazine. It was founded by Braja Sundar Das in 1906 in Cuttack, Odisha and was published for about 25 years, with its last issue in 1930. Braja Sundar Das was the editor of this magazine. It cost Rs. 2 at the time. [1]

Mukura was a literary magazine having articles, stories, and poems on nationalism, philosophy, history, religion, culture, science, social reform, and linguistics, among other subjects. The works published in Mukura carried a patriotic undertone, emphasising the need to rescue the Odia language and identity from its dire status. [2] [3] [1]

It played a central role in lobbying for the amalgamation of Odia-speaking areas; a long struggle that culminated in the creation of Odisha as a separate state on April 1, 1936 (Utkal Divas).  It functioned at par with Utkal Sahitya and held the distinction of an important instrument for the dispersion of new ideas and literature. In fact, Mukura was the first literary magazine focussing on nationalistic literature, setting the stage for the establishment of many newspapers. Many young intellectuals started their literary career through Mukura. This phase is referred to as “Satyabadi Era [4]

Mukura was initially printed in Cuttack Mission Press. In 1910, Braja Sundar Das purchased a press from Puri and began a type of foundry using a more attractive lead type that was considered the best in Odisha. Thus, the later editions of Mukura were printed in Mukura Press Premises, established by Das, in Bhashakosh Lane, Cuttack. [5]

Literary luminaries who contributed extensively to the magazine were Gopabandhu Das, Fakir Mohan Senapati, Mrutyunjaya Rath, Madhusudan Das, Sribatsa Panda, Nilakantha Das, Kuntala Kumari Sabat, Dayanidhi Mishra, Jagabandhu Singh, Krupasindhu Mishra, among others.

There was an upsurge in the demand for novels at the turn of the 20th century, with more than about 250 novels being published between 1920 and 1947. In 1923, Braja Sundar Das launched a series of publications under Mukura, called “Mukura Upanyasmala” (Mukura Novel Series). [1]

Braja Sundar Das - founder and editor, Mukura Brajasundar Das.jpg
Braja Sundar Das - founder and editor, Mukura

Through Mukura and Mukura Press, Braja Sundar Das, not only published distinguished literary pieces but also offered a platform to young talent who would later be helmed as literary giants in the Odia language. One such example is Godabarish Mahapatra. “Banapur”, the poem written by Mahapatra in 1915, got the attention of Braja Sundar Das who helped publish this piece and launched a young Godabarish Mahapatra into Odia literature. This established a rooted relationship where Mukura Press published “Pravat Kusum” (Morning Flowers), an anthology comprising Mahapatra’s poems. [1] Similarly, “The Prajatantra”, started by Harekrushna Mahatab, was first launched and published in Mukura Press.

Mukura promoted tourism and regional awareness by publishing a series of works by Mrutyunjaya Rath under the heading “Tippani” (Notes). Rath combined a tourist’s curiosity with poetic sensitivity while writing about the various places in Odisha that he visited. These places included Mahavinayak, Lalitgiri, Udaygiri, Dhauli, etc.

An excerpt from his commentary on Nilamadhab at Kantilo: [1]

“Looking at it from the village, the cloud-kissing compound walls of the temple give the illusion of a five-storied palace. The picturesque situation of Nilamadhab pleases the mind and the eyes exceedingly. On one side the blue flow of the Mahanadi and its vast sand beds, and on the other, the blue-wooded hills. As the temple appears wonderfully beautiful from a distance, so also the vast carpeted surrounding below appears equally pleasing.”

Mrutyunjaya Rath, Tippani (Notes)
Mukura Press - established by Brajasundar Das in 1910 at Bhashakosh Lane, Cuttack Mukura press.jpg
Mukura Press - established by Brajasundar Das in 1910 at Bhashakosh Lane, Cuttack

Mrutyunjay Rath’s study of Sarala Mahabharata, the first serious intellectual engagement with the medieval composition in Odia literature, was serialised in Mukura in 1911 under the title “Adikabi – Sarala Dasa”. [6] This was later published as a book (Sarala Charita) with a foreword by Braja Sundar Das, the editor of Mukura. [7] Similarly, Gopabandhu contributed many literary pieces to Mukura. One such poem “Sarala Dasa” was published in Mukura in 1906. Braja Sundar wrote in Mukura editorial pieces as well as discourses on various topics of socio-cultural, literary, and political interests. Mukura was also the first journal to discuss the works of Bhima Bhoi in 1908 in an effort to expand the reach of Bhoi’s writings, even when elite members of the Odia literati didn’t acknowledge Bhoi’s ideologies. [8]

Madhusudan Das wrote a series of eight poems encouraging people for racial unity. The important exhortations were Janana (A Prayer),Utkal Santan (Sons of Soils), Janani Ra Ukti ( The Statement of Mother), Santana Ra Ukti (The Statement of the Son), Samilani (Conference) and Jati Itihas ( History of the Race). All these poems were published as national songs before 1915 by Braja Sundar Das in Mukura Press. [9] Besides literary publications in arts, Mukura was one of the foremost journals to publish articles and prose in science. [10] Some examples have been enlisted below:

Light (Aloka)1906Light, its propagation and properties, X-rays, radioactive rays, radium and its miraculous properties
Chemical Principles (Rasayan Tattwa) by Satyakumar Ray1908Discusses atom, elements, chemical transformation, phlogiston theory, works of Ray, Boyle and Pristley on combustion and oxygen, chemical composition of air, water, vermilion
Chats between Grandfather and Grandson (Aja Nati Rahasya) by Jagannath Tripathy1908-09A multipart series dealing with various scientific questions and explanations presented as lively chats. The topics include: vaporisation and condensation of water, clouds, rain, fog, dew; steam engine and trains; Newton, gravitation and earths revolution, hail stone, rock and soil; pebbles, diamond and glass; lightning, electricity, telegraph
Earthworm and Other Living Manures (Jiyanala (Mahilata) Prabhruti Ketoti Jibita Sara) by Gopal Charan Pattnaik1910Habit and habitat of earthworms and dung beetles, their role in farming, top soil enrichment, nitrogen fixation by leguminous plants
Travels Around the Universe (Bishwabhramana) by Narayan Prasad Sathiya1924An imaginary account of space travel at enormous speed. Describe the objects seen during the travel - Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and comets at the boundary of the solar system

Mukura was published until 1930. Six years later, on April 1, 1936, Odisha was declared as an independent state.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Odia language</span> Indic language

Odia is a classical Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Indian state of Odisha. It is the official language in Odisha, where native speakers make up 82% of the population, and it is also spoken in parts of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Odia is one of the many official languages of India; it is the official language of Odisha and the second official language of Jharkhand. The Odia language has various dialects varieties, including the Baleswari Odia, Kataki, Ganjami Odia, Sundargadi Odia, Sambalpuri, Desia and Tribal Community dialects who spoken by the tribals groups in Odisha who adopted the Odia language.

Odia literature is literature written in the Odia language, mostly from the Indian state of Odisha. The modern Odia language is mostly formed from Tadbhava words with significant Sanskrit (Tatsama) influences, along with loanwords from Desaja, English, Hindustani (Hindi/Urdu), Persian, and Arabic. Its earliest written texts date from around 1000 CE. The earliest Odia newspaper was Utkala Deepika, first published on August 4, 1866.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gopabandhu Das</span> Indian writer (1877–1928)

Gopabandhu Das (1877–1928), popularly known as Pandit Utkalamani Gopabandhu Das, was a social worker, reformer, political activist, journalist, poet and essayist.

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Sarala Devi was an Indian independence activist, feminist, social activist, politician and writer. She was the first Odia woman to join the Non-cooperation movement in 1921 and the first Odia woman delegate of the Indian National Congress. She became the first woman to be elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly on 1 April 1936.

Odisha is one of the 28 states of India, located on the eastern coast. It is surrounded by the states of West Bengal to the northeast, Jharkhand to the north, Chhattisgarh to the west and northwest, and Andhra Pradesh to the south and southwest. Odia is the official and most widely spoken language, spoken by 33.2 million according to the 2001 Census. The modern state of Odisha was established on 1 April 1936, as a province in British India, and consisted predominantly of Odia-speaking regions. April 1 is celebrated as Odisha Day.

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Odia cinema, also known as Ollywood, is the segment of Indian cinema, dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Odia language widely spoken in the state of Odisha. Odia Cinema is based in Cuttack in Odisha, India. The name Ollywood is a portmanteau of the words Odia and Hollywood.

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Madhusudan Das was an Indian lawyer and social reformer, who founded Utkal Sammilani in 1903 to campaign for the unification of Odisha along with its social and industrial development. He was one of the prominent figure, helping in the creation of Orissa Province, which was established on 1 April 1936. He was also the first graduate and advocate of Odisha. He is also known as Kulabruddha, Madhu Babu, and Utkal Gouraba. In Odisha, his birthday is celebrated as the Lawyers' Day on 28 April.

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Satyanarayana Rajguru (1903-1997) was an Indian litterateur, epigraphist and historian. He was a curator and epigraphist at the Odisha State Museum and was a recipient of Sahitya Akademi Award, Bharati Bhushan award, Ganjam Sahitya Sammilani award, Odisha Sahitya Academy Award and Sarala Sanman. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri in 1974.

Radha Mohan Gadanayak (1911–2000) was an Indian poet of Odia literature, known for his ballads and poetic creations. The poet, considered by many as one of the major Odia poets of this century, was a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award, which he received, in 1975, for his poem anthology, Surya O Andhakar. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian award of Padma Shri in 1990.

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Gouri Kumar Brahma was an academic, literary critic, orator and writer. His works are mainly in Odia and Sanskrit. He was popular for his talks on Jagannath culture and literature of Upendra Bhanja in Odia, English Sanskrit and Hindi. He died at Bhubaneswar.

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