SARALA DAS

Born in fifteenth century at the village Kalinaya near Jhunkudain of undivided Cuttack district known as ‘UTKAL BALMIKI’, author of Oriya Ramayana and Oriya Mahabharat. Although other poets appear to have preceded Sarala Das, he is generally recognized to be the maker of the Oriya literature, creating a perennial fountain of literary forms and traditions with the distinct characteristics of their own, that has come down to posterity as an ever wide stream.

Three of his epics, the Vilanka Ramayana, the Mahabharat and the Chandi Purana are so far known, and of them the Mahabharat, his magnum opus, contains according to a rough estimate about eighty-three thousand verses, each consisting of two lines, and twenty-three hundred and nine printed pages. The Vilanka Ramayana and the Chandi Purana respectively contain about twenty-eight hundred and fifty-five hundred verses and respectively cover eighty and one hundred and five printed pages. In a clear statement the poet declares the Vilanka Ramayana, the Mahabharat and the Chandi Purana to be respectively the first, second and third of his compositions.

Sarala Das was passionately devoted to goddess Sarala to whom he made a complete, self surrender, but like a true Hindu he was tolerant of and respectful to all other Hindu deity who has not received homage from Sarala Das. Sarala Das is ever respected of Oriya Nation. He is the maker of Oriya languae and father of Oriya literature. In the history of Oriya literature his name will remain immortal.