The Influence of Sanskrit in Odia Language Abstract

The influence of Sanskrit Literature in Odia Language
With
Special Reference to Chaa mna-thaguntha

Dibakami Krutartha
Ph. D Scholar
Dept of Indology
French Institute of Pondicherry

The language is the human capacity for receiving and using complex systems of communication
and also it is a system of symbols. It is one of the several forms of human communication. There are 6000-
7000 languages in the world and in modern India today has 415 living languages from which 196 are
endangered and 9 are extinct languages, while the 18 languages are recognized by the constitution have
large speech communities. There are two major language families in India one is indo-Aryan language
spoken by approximately 73% of Indians (North) and other one is Dravidian spoken by 24% Indians
(South) and rest of are some few minor and tribal languages. Sanskrit is known as the oldest language in
human history especially in India and also the mother of all modern Indian languages. The development of
modern Indian languages is traced as: Sanskrit-Prakrit-Apabhransh-modern languages for both Dravidian
and Indo-Aryan language families. This is more applicable in north Indian then south.

Sanskrit is an ancient, oldest and also a classical language of India. Sanskrit is the root and
inspiration for virtually every language spoken in India. It has large and extremely rich body of ancient
literature and also one of the earliest members of the Indo-European language family. It has a same position
in India as Latin and Greek in Europe. The word samskrata in the strictest sense, means purified, sacred,
and holy. Sanskrit usually referred to as Samskrata Vak which means a refined language. It is always
considered as a religious language and also a language of Gods (Devabhasa) in which every ancient Hindu
text, mostly devotional text, has been written in. Sanskrit also has been the language of shastra, of
knowledge of the Indian tradition. There are so many texts are available in Sanskrit on politics, philosophy,
mathematics, astrology, theology and also in medicine. Sanskrit is mother of all Indian languages, so Odia
language is one of them.

Odia is the regional and official language of Odisha which is situated in the Eastern part of India.
And second official language of Jharkhand. It is also an Eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is the first Indo-
Aryan classical language of India. It is thought to be direct descendent from Magadhi Prakrit similar to
Ardha Magadhi and also had relatively little influence from Persian and Arabic, compared to other major
north Indian languages. Odia language is not only spoken by Odisha but also in some neighboring state like
West Bengal, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and also in Gujraat.

The history of Odia literature begins in the 14
th
century A.D with the poet Sarala dass work
Vilanka Ramayana and Chandi Purana thats why he is known as Adi kavi in Odia. There are so many
Odia scholars and their contribution to Odia language is never-to-be-forgotten. They are Jagannath Das,
Upendra Bhanja, Bhima Bhoi, Radhanath ray and Fakir Mohan Senapati etc. Fakir Mohan Senapati (1843-
1918) is one of them. He is a multitalented genius who changed the method of Odia language and started
modernism in Odia. Thats why he is known as the Father of Modern Odia Literature and also
remembered as Vyasa kabi. He wrote a novel, so many short stories, poems, essays and some school text
books as well as translated a number of Sanskrit texts into Odia. Some famous books written by Fakir
Mohan Senapati are Mamu, Lachama, and a novel Chaa mna-thaguntha and his book Atma jivana
charita (The story of my life) is the first autobiography in Odia language. Chaa mna-thaguntha (Six
acres and a third) is a 19
th
century novel which is not only famous in India but also in western countries. It
tells a story of an evil landlord, Ramachandra Mangaraj, who exploits poor farmers and use the new legal
systems to take the property of others. It is also based on ancient culture, the social and political issue of
Odisha. In other word we can see that describe about ordinary people and also it contains a critique of
British colonial roles.

Fakir Mohan Senapati used so many words that are directly and indirectly related to the Sanskrit
and also some verses in his novel. This present paper will discuss about how Sanskrit Literature is
influenced in Odia language especially in the novel Chaa mna-thaguntha (Six acres and a third).

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