Byangakabi Durga Panda

Literature be it in the form of prose or poetry is something that brings tranquillity among people in a society. It reverberate the whims of the people and exhilarate their lives. But let how higher the standards of writing of a poet, it yield no result unless conveyed in a language that is understood by the targeted audience. In the modern days here in Odisha lives a poet who led his entire life strictly adhering to this ground rule. Fortunate are those who so ever heard him orating his Sambalpuri poetry on the podium.

In Sambalpuri language he says “ଜେନ ରକେଟଥୀ ଜେତକି ବାରୁଦ ଥିବା, ସେ ହେତକି ଉପର ଯିବା। ବେସ ନିଆ ଲେଛବାରଟା ଦେରି ଆଏ”. It literally means, depending upon its captive fuel capacity a rocket would go to that altitude, all one has to do is just ignite the fuel.

Durga Panda hails from Himgir of Sundergarh District of Odisha. In the  year 1976 he joined Odisha Forest Department as a Junior clerk at a handsome monthly salary of Rs.255/-. In his view it was handsome as forty years back he was living hand to mouth without any lavish expenses. Early in life he was inclined towards Oriya poetry. During the day hours he use to work in the lousy environment of a government office, but by night his mind and soul use to migrate to the whimsical world of Oriya poetry.

Fortunately he shifted his career to where his personal interest lay. He joined All India Radio at Sambalpur as a lyricist. He composed the very first song

“​​​ଆଜି ମୁଁ ଗାଉଛି ଵହୁ ଦିନ ପରେ ତୁମରି ସୃତିରେ ତୁମରି ଗିତ 

ଲେଖିଥିଲ ଯାହା ଅନେକ ଆଗରୁ ଅଜାଣତେ ଆଜି  ହେବାରୁ ସତ”.

With a hesitation he says he got the first royalty of Rs.5/-(less than 10 US Cents as on this date). But after three months he got a cheque of Rs.150/-(Two US $). Afterward he started composing Oriya lyrics for Door Darshan, Bhubaneswar. He has been paid Rs.750/- for three songs. In fact while composing lyrics he never looked if any money to be earned  out of this vocation.  He  strictly  believe ​“ଗିତ୍ ଗାଏବାରଟା ଗୁଟେ ପେସା ନୁହେଁ, ପରନ୍ତୁ ଗୁଟେ ନିଶା ଆଏ”. One or the other way the efforts one puts in his life ought to be paid off. In the year 1996 he got National Award from the hands of the then Forest Minister of India Mr.Kamal Nath at Vigyan Bhawan.

Apart from being a lyricist he made his presence felt in the Ollywood also a wellknown music composer.

It is worth acknowledgement he is the sole composer of one and the only Sambalpuri song that has ever been sang by the Bollywood living legend singer Asha Bhonsle for the film "Chini".

ଉଆଁସର୍ ଅନ୍ଧାରେ ନାଇଁ ଦିଶେ ସିନା ହଜି ନାଇଁ ଯାଏ ଜନ୍, ଘିନି ନାଇଁ ହୁଏ,ବିକି ନାଇଁ ହୁଏ, ଦେଇ ହେସି ଖାଲି ମନ୍.. 

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