Even as Odisha celebrated its foundation day on Wednesday, a spot at Baleswar town bearing historical importance continue to lie forgotten and neglected.
The place is Gadgadia and it is in a shambles. History says Odisha could retain its identity of having its own language and literature by a movement that sparked from this place.
It is claimed Gadgadia was the place of congregation of then social thinkers and saviours of Odia language, Fakir Mohan Senapati, Radhanath Ray and Madhusudan Das.
Each evening they used to sit here near a pond ghat , known as Gadgadia ghat and used to discuss about the contemporary issues, challenges and solutions.
They braced up for a bigger movement , when a Bengali teacher , Kantilal Bhattacharya remarked Odia was not a separate language.
In the year 1870, Kantilal, a teacher of the Balasore Zilla School, published a book named "Odia Ekta Swatantra Bhasanoy".
He strongly described that Odia was a dialect of Bengali language. His view insulted all Odia-speaking people. There after another notable scholar, Rajendralal Mitra of Bengal also had a negative view.
Against these anti-Odia activities, there were strong protests from Odia elites like Fakir Mohan, then a Dewan with Nilgiri Maharaja, Radhanath a teacher in Mission school and Madhusudan also a teacher in the Zilla School.
The trio vowed to save the language against Bengalis threat and began to write in Odia. They conceived the idea of forming a State wide organization in 1,877 and formed the Utkal Sammilani in 1903. They continued to ignite the mind of youth to develop patriotism towards Odisha and Odia language.
And in 1936, Odisha (Orissa) earned distinction of separate State based on language. Since the area Gadgadia bears a historical significance, there have been demands from various quarters including the literary bodies, to beautify the pond area by clearing the encroachments, renovating ghats and install statue of these three eminent personalities.
It was promised by successive elected representatives but never translated in to action.
“It is a sacred place and should be developed without further delay,” observed poet, writer and critic Krushna Kumar Mohanty.