Freedom Movement in Odisha - Early Phase

Odisha’s participation in the Indian freedom movement developed somewhat later than in Bengal or Maharashtra, but once engaged, the region contributed actively to the nationalist struggle.

Pre-Congress Nationalism

Before the formation of the Indian National Congress (1885), Odia intellectuals had already begun articulating a form of regional nationalism:

• The Utkal Sabha (founded 1882 in Cuttack) was one of the earliest political associations in Odisha, focusing on local issues but also supporting the larger national awakening.
• Figures like Fakir Mohan Senapati (the father of modern Odia literature) used literature to critique colonial exploitation and awaken social consciousness.
• Madhusudan Das (1848–1934), a lawyer and nationalist, advocated for the unification of Odia-speaking territories and was an early Congress supporter.

Odisha and the Indian National Congress

Odisha’s engagement with the Congress was initially slow:

• The first Odia to attend a Congress session was Madhusudan Das (1886, Calcutta).
• The Utkal Union Conference (1903 onwards), under Madhusudan Das, initially focused on linguistic unification and collaborated with the British administration to achieve it. This approach sometimes put it at odds with the more radical Congress agenda.

Swadeshi Movement (1905–1908)

The Swadeshi movement, triggered by the Partition of Bengal (1905), had significant echoes in Odisha:

• Students and intellectuals in Cuttack, Balasore, and Puri organized bonfires of foreign cloth and promoted swadeshi goods.
• Gopabandhu Das (1877–1928) emerged as a key leader during this period, using his newspaper The Samaja (founded 1919) to mobilize public opinion.
• The movement popularized nationalist ideas, though it was largely urban and elite-driven.

Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922)

Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement had a transformative impact:

• Gandhi visited Odisha in 1921 and addressed large crowds in Cuttack, Puri, and Berhampur. His message of non-violent resistance and swadeshi resonated deeply.
• Lawyers (including Madhusudan Das’s disciples) gave up their practices; students boycotted government schools; and khadi spinning was promoted.
• In the princely states, the movement took the form of the Prajamandal Andolan (people’s movements for democratic rights).

Distinguishing Features

The early freedom movement in Odisha was characterized by:

• A dual focus: linguistic unification (Odia-speaking areas were scattered across Bengal, Madras, and Central Provinces) alongside national independence.
• Social reform: Leaders like Gopabandhu Das and Madhusudan Das combined nationalism with campaigns against untouchability, for women’s education, and for famine relief.
• Rural orientation: Unlike the urban elite-dominated Congress in other provinces, Odisha’s movement had deeper roots in rural grievances over land revenue and forest laws.

The early phase laid the organizational and ideological foundation for the mass movements of the 1930s and 1940s.