Utkal Divas The Odisha Day

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 16^th century. The Mendipur was attached to Bengal province in 18^th 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 19^th 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 1^st 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.