Our language is Sambalpuri. It is age old and publication in this language began in the year 1891. Hence, claiming Kosali as the language of this region is nothing but to disrupt the unity of this vast region and also play with the sentiment of the people,” said many speakers including local MlA Dr Raseswari Panigrahi.
They were addressing a function on the Foundation Day of Sambalpuri Bhasha and Sanskruti Pratisthan here and also completion of 125 years of publication of the Sambalpur Hiteisini here.
In the year 1891, the first poem in Sambalpuri language was published in the Sambalpur Hiteisini, an Odia newspaper of that time edited by Nilamani Bidyaratna. The poet was Madhusudan who wrote in Sambalpuri language. Further in the year 1941, six years before independence, this language was recognised in many fields as it is largely spoken and used by crores of people of the region.
But the intelligentsia opined that the fresh effort over naming the language as Kosali is not a welcome gesture. lots of works including books, films, and publications have been made in this language. It has been recognised internationally also. The drama is Sambalpuri language finds place in the limca Books of Records. Recently, poet Haladhar Nag got Padmashree Award. It is also going to be recognised under the eighth schedule of the Constitution. “Hence, the fresh attempt to name the language as Kosali is not at all acceptable,” said Utpanna Bhoi, the chief speaker of the occasion.
But outside this, there are many people who also condemned the attempts to stoke a Sambalpuri-Kosali controversy for narrow interest. This is not at all a good sign for the region and no language could be named newly, they opined and appealed for a halt in the row.