The Kendra Sahitya Akademi in collaboration with the Odisha Sahitya Akademi (OSA) organised a two-day national seminar on medieval Bhakti literature here in the city. Inaugurating the seminar, eminent poet Ramakanta Rath said, “The earliest Bhakti literature practically in all languages did not have as its motive Bhakti, an impulse of love towards object synonymous with ultimate reality.”
He also said Bhakti literature was mainly inspired by loving admiration of what God does when he takes a human form. Attending as the chief guest, State Culture and Tourism Minister Ashok Chandra Panda said the voice of Bhakti literature of medieval period is to promote social harmony and spiritual upliftment and it does not recognize caste, creed or religion. It transcends all barriers and has a pan Indian spread, he added.
Convenor, Odia Advisory Board of the Akademi, Gourahari Das in his introductory speech said, “The Bhakti literature of Odisha has a major place in the history of medieval literature of India and the works of Panchasakhas deserve a special mention in this respect.” He added that the holy land of Odisha is not only the abode of lord Jagannath; it is also a treasure house of Bhakti literature.
Das observed that the Sahitya Akademi has rightly chosen Odisha as its venue for this national seminar. OSA president Satakadi Hota said Odisha has an enormous contribution to Bhakti literature. Noted writers, researchers and literary critics presented papers on ‘convergence of medieval Bengali and Maithili Bhakti literatue,’ ‘social ramifications of medieval Bhakti movements of Odisha,’ ‘Sankaradeva and north eastern medieval literature,’ ‘socio-cultural impact of Odia Bhagabat of Atibadi Jagannath Das’ and ‘impact of Vidyapati, Jayadeva, Sarala Das, Sankardeva and Sri Chaitanya in Indian literature’ during the two days.
Former chairperson of Manipur State Commission for women Dr Jamini Devi presented a paper on ‘Bhakti literature in Manipur in the medieval period’ whereas translator and writer Asit Mohanty presented on ‘Socio-cultural impact of Odia Bhagabat of Atibadi Jgannath Das’. Among others, eminent scholar Pradip Jyoti Mahanta, Bishnu Prasad Mishra, K Sreenivasarao, Anjan Sen, Amlendu Shekhar Pathak, Jatin Nayak, N Khagendra Singh, BN Patnaik, Sitakant Mohapatra, Gopal Krushna Rath and Raj Kishore Mishra spoke. The programme concluded on Saturday.