Award in the memory of poet Upendra Bhanja

Berhampur (

), Feb 3: The Berhampur University here has decided to institute an

in memory of 'Kabi Samrat' Upendra Bhanja for a poet of national repute annually. The award would be given to the poet on the foundation day celebration of the university on January 2 every year, university officials said today. “

The university will be proud to award a poet of national repute in the name of Kabi Samrat,” said Vice Chancellor, Deepak Kumar Behera.

Upendra Bhanja was a 17th century poet belonging to a royal family in Odisha. Some of his famous poems are Baideheesha Bilasha, Rasalila, Brajaleela, Subhadra Parinaya, Lavanyabati, Premasudhanidhi, Rasikaharabali, Subhadra-Parinya and Chitrakavya-Bondodhya Labanyabati, Koti Brahmanda Sundari, Kala Koutuka, Satisha bilasa, Damayanti BiLasa and Padmabati Parinaya.

Although a royal by birth, he never aspired for the throne like his grandfather or great-grandfather who were eminent poets too. However, his works were criticized for explicit sexual imagery. But that did not stop researchers from exploring the rich literary value that his works offered. One of the prominent researchers in this field is Dr.Satyanarayan Acharya, who was also the first one to do so.

PTI