Bande Utkala Janani The State song of Odisha

1. ‘Bande Utkala Janani’, the de facto anthem of Odisha, has drawn fresh attention following Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik exhortation to the people of Odisha and Odias across the world to sing the immortal patriotic song at 5.30 pm on Saturday (May 30) to boost the morale of COVID-19 warriors.‘Bande Utkala Janani’, which means “I bow to thee Mother Utkala”, is an ode to the land of Utkala (ancient name of modern-day Odisha) and its people. The song is unique in its form and content. Time in and time out the song has stirred the souls of proud Odias. It was a long standing demand of people of the state to accord state song status to this poem which has been passed by the State cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik after the Odias across the globe had come together on the clarion of Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik to sing Bande Utkala Janani on 5:30 pm of May 30 to boost the morale of frontline workers or COVID-19 warriors tackling the coronavirus outbreak. The poem envisages a Utkala who maintains her self-respect and dignity from a position of confidence and strength rather than insecurity and fear. This movement for a separate province also gathered momentum in Odisha. The Utkal Sammilani (a federation of Odias) was leading this movement. This influenced the poet Laxmikanta Mohapatra, who was then young and energetic. He started writing Bande Utkala Janani (Glory To The Mother Utkala!) and some other fiery songs with a patriotic motive. Well, known national poet of Odisha Banchhanidhi Mohanty was also a good singer. He used to sing Laxmikanta's patriotic songs throughout Odisha and inspired everyone. Once Rabindra Nath Tagore wrote in one of his essays i.e. "A Vision of India's History" that 'the history of India has been the history of a struggle between the mechanical spirit of conformity in social organization and the creative spirit of man which seeks freedom and love in self-expression' justifies Laxmikanta as a true patriotic poet. This song was first sung at the Utkal Sammilani's Conference at Balasore in 1912. It was used as a weapon by the Utkal Sammilani to emancipate Odisha.[citation needed] In a meeting at Bhadrak, where the poet Mohapatra was felicitated, the then young leader of Odisha Harekrushna Mahtab admitted that the poet Laxmikanta's patriotic songs have inspired him a lot.[citation needed] In the past, outsiders like Mughals, Marathas and Britishers ruled Odisha and its geographical boundaries changed from time to time accordingly. The State Government's decision to stand up to pay respect when the song is played has been praised. Therefore, it was made compulsory at the end of any Odisha Legislative Assembly Session and in the beginning of school prayer in State Govt. schools in Odisha during the 1990. “The song has been inspiring the people of Odisha since ages. It was a long-standing demand of people of the state to accord state anthem status to Bande Utkala Janani, which has been passed by the state cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Naveen Patnaik,” Bikram Keshari Arukh, the parliamentary affairs minister, said. Arukh added the information and public relations department will prepare and release uniform lyrics, style of singing and it’s recording. The song will be sung at all government programs, assembly sessions, college and university cultural functions. The anthem will be played or sung in schools, college meetings, cultural events. Whenever the anthem is sung or played, everyone will have to stand in attention except senior citizens, patients, infants, disabled and pregnant women.