Utkal
Divas is also known as Odisha Day, Odisha Dibas and Utkala Dibas is
celebrated on 1 April in Odisha in the memory of the formation of the state as a
separate state out of Bihar and Odisha province on 1 April 1936.
In
1567, the Mughal conquered costal odisha. The last hindu emperor of odisha
Gajapati Mukund Dev was defeated and killed in battle of Gohiratkiri. The coastal
plain of odisha from Medinipur to Rajahmundry came under Mughal rule. It was broadly
divide into six part as Jaleswar Sarkar, Bhadrak sarkar, Kalinga Dandapat and Rajahmundry
Sarkar or Godavari Province.
After
Effects of 1567, Odhisa’s central, northern,
western and southern hilly areas ruled independently by Hindu kings. The Nizam
of hyderabad occupied the area between Rajahmundry to Srikakulam in 16th
century. The Mendipur was attached to Bengal province in 18th
century. The remaining part of coastal odisha, where subsequently ceded to the
Maratha Empire in 1751.The British occupied the Northern Circars comprising the
southern coast of odisha as result of Carnatic wars in the earlier 1760 and
incorporate them into Madras Presidency gradually.
In
1803, the British under British East India Company annexed the Maratha province
of odisha after the second Anglo-Maratha War. The northern and western
districts of odisha were incorporated into Bengal presidency.
Following
famine and floods in 1866, large scale irrigation projects were undertaken in last
half of 19th century. The coastal section was separated from Bengal
and made into the province of Bihar and odisha in 1912, in response to local agitation
for separate state for odia-speaking people.
In
1936, Bihar and odisha were split into separate provinces. Thus after along period
of struggle the odia people got re-united after centuries of political separation.
The district of Ganjam was transferred from madras presidency to the new province
of Odisha on 1 April 1936.
On
1 April 1936, a long cherished dream of odia people and their leader like
Madhusudan Das, Maharaj Krushna, Chnadra Gajapati, Pandit Nilakantha das, Bhubanananda Das and many
others came true. From the time onwards people of Odisha celebrate the day 1
April as Utkal divas or Odisha day.
On
1st April 1936, the new province of odisha came into existence on linguistic
basis during the British Rule in India with Sir John Austin Hubbak as the first
Governor.
After
Independence, the area of odisha almost doubled and the population was
increased by third by the addition of 24 former princely state in the union of
India. Since then 1 april has been celebrated by all odia people as “UTKAL
DIWAS”.
Odisha
Dibas or Utkala Dibas is celebrated every year on 1
April all over Odisha. Thousands of shops and Jhankis make this festival more
beautiful. There are competitions arranged by popular local politicians like fireworks competition.
One can enjoy these fireworks displays which make the sky all the more
stunning. On that day all across the country, the family of Odia arranges
different cultural programs like a sing-song program. Utkala Dibas the day of
remembrance for all Odia helps everybody to be united.
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