HAIKU IN ODIA
A Brief History and the Contemporary Scene.
— Ajaya Mahala
Odia is the official language of Indian State of Odisha where native speakers make up 82% of the population. Odia is also spoken in limited pockets of adjoining States of Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. It is an Indo-Aryan language and has been designated as sixth classical language in India. Odisha has a rich and diversified culture.
In Odia literature, several forms of micro-poetry were existing. These assumed forms of Chaupadi, Dhaga-Dhamali and several forms of riddles. Literary devices like simile and metaphor were used by writers generously to associate ideas/images. But a close examination would reveal that these forms were not akin to haiku which uses the mechanism of juxtaposition for association of ideas.
There are several poets from Odisha writing in this genre in foreign and non-state languages like English and Hindi.
Paradoxically, the above poets wrote very little in their native language. Admittedly, active writing of haiku in Odia in literature space was almost intermittent, occasional or unrecorded.
In 2018, Ajaya Mahala brought a compilation of 251 Haiku in the name of “Ghuchu Na Thiba Jahna” (The Unmoving Moon) in Odia and the same was given a ceremonious start with its launching at State Capital Bhubaneswar. It has been gathered that Pradeep Kumar Dash, a proponent of Hindi haiku has brought about a collection in 2019 (Kashatandira Hasa). Debi Prasad Mohapatra, known for micro poems has also brought about a collection of haiku like poems (Mamunghara Gaon). Deepak Kumar Swain, Jemamoni Bissoyi who have also been writing haiku or haiku-like poems in Odia language.
A significant event took place in the month of September 2020, when “Odiku”, a Facebook haiku workshop group was formed for training and propagating haiku and other forms of haikai literature in Odia language by Ajaya Mahala. In Odiku, there are 150 poets in the group with 50 of them actively writing haiku. The poets are being taught the finer nuances of this delicate art form. They are also enlightened about the resources available for further learning and research.
Representative Haiku in Odia
All the selected haiku have been translated into English by Ajaya Mahala
ଶେଷ ଶଯ୍ଯା
ତଳେ ଆଧାର ମୁହାଁ
ପିମ୍ପୁଡିଙ୍କ ଧାର
his last minutes ...
a line of ants ready
for the forage
—Suchitra Rath
ପୋଖରୀରେ ଛାଇ
କଙ୍କି କଇଁ ପତ୍ର ପାଣି
ସବୁ ଏକାଠି
shadows in the pond
the lily, its leaf, the dragonfly and water
all at one place
—Koumudee Dash
ମୁଁହ ଅନ୍ଧାର
ବିଲ ଗହୀରରେ
ଗୋରୁ ପଲ
approaching evening
a herd of cattle holed up
in the dark fields
— Jasmine Pradhan
ନିଅନ ଆଲୋକ
ନିସ୍ତବ୍ଧ ଗଳିରେ
ଭୋକିଲା ଦେହ
neon lights―
the craving bodies
in this quiet alley
—Durlava Rout
ଉଛୁଳା ନଈ
ଗାଈ ଲାଙ୍ଗୁଡ଼ରେ
ଗାଈଆଳ
overflowing river
the cowherd holds
onto a cow's tail
—Sushama Nayak
ମୁରୁଜ ଚିତା
ଜାଣି ଜାଣି ପାଦ ପକାଏ
ଅସହଣୀ
knowingly stepping over
my muruja*
an intolerant friend
muruja (Odia word)
= floral designs on floor usually by girls using powders of different colours
—Sanghamitra Jena
ଘର ପୋଡ଼ି
ଚୌକି ଖୋଜା
ମନ୍ତ୍ରୀଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ
charred houses
looking for a chair
for the minister
—Binayakumar Mohanty
ଢାଳୁଛି ବର୍ଷା ...
ନୁଆଁଣିଆ ଚାଳ ତଳେ
ଫୁଟୁଛି ଭାତହାଣ୍ଡି
incessant rain
a clay hut shields
the boiling rice
—Prakash Nayak
ନୂଆ ହାଇକୁ ଶିଖାଳୀ
ଘରଣୀ ରଡିରେ
ହାଇକୁ ବାସ୍ନା
haiku learner
smell of haiku
in the yell of wife
- Santosh Muduli
ବର୍ଷୁକୀ ସଂଜ
ଝିଙ୍କାରୀର ସ୍ୱରରେ
ଶବ୍ଦ ଜୀବନର
rain-soaked evening
crickets sing
the song of life
-—Sujata Mohapatra
ଗ୍ରୀଷ୍ମ ମଧ୍ୟାହ୍ନ
କୁଷ୍ଠ ରୋଗୀର ଠେଲାଗାଡି
ଆଗକୁ ଗଡିଯାଏ
summer noon
the wooden cart of the leper
crawls ahead
— Ajaya Mahala
ଟାଙ୍ଗରା ଭୁଇଁ
ମାମୁଁଘର ରାସ୍ତାରେ
ଗୋରୁ ମୁଣ୍ଡ
barren highlands
a cow’s skull marks the road
to my mother’s village
— Ajaya Mahala