Haiku in Odia literature: a brief history and the contemporary scene
Odia is the official language of Indian State of Odisha where native speakers make up 82% of the population. Odia is also spoken in limited pockets of adjoining States of Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. It is an Indo-Aryan language and has been designated as sixth classical language in India. Odisha has a rich and diversified culture.
In Odia literature, several forms of micro-poetry were existing. These assumed forms of Chaupadi, Dhaga-Dhamali and several forms of riddles. Literary devices like simile and metaphor were used by writers generously to associate ideas/images. But a close examination would reveal that these forms were not akin to haiku which uses the mechanism of juxtaposition for association of ideas.
There are several poets from Odisha writing in this genre in foreign and non-state languages like English and Hindi.
Paradoxically, the above poets wrote very little in their native language. Admittedly, active writing of haiku in Odia in literature space was almost intermittent, occasional or unrecorded.
In 2018, Ajaya Mahala brought a compilation of 251 Haiku in the name of “Ghuchu Na Thiba Jahna” (The Unmoving Moon) in Odia and the same was given a ceremonious start with its launching at State Capital Bhubaneswar. It has been gathered that Pradeep Kumar Dash, a proponent of Hindi haiku has brought about a collection in 2019 (Kashatandira Hasa). Debi Prasad Mohapatra, known for micro poems has also brought about a collection of haiku like poems (Mamunghara Gaon). Deepak Kumar Swain, Jemamoni Bissoyi who have also been writing haiku or haiku like poems in Odia language.
A significant event took place in the month of September 2020, when “Odiku”, a Facebook haiku workshop group was formed for training and propagating haiku and other forms haikai literature in Odia language by Ajaya Mahala. In Odiku, there are 150 poets in the group with 50 of them actively writing haiku. The poets are being taught the finer nuances of this delicate art form. They are also enlightened about the resources available for further learning and research.
