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Whither Koshal?Whither Koshal?Whither Koshal?Whither Koshal?

Author: Unknown Author: Unknown Author: Unknown Author: Unknown

This manuscript was pThis manuscript was pThis manuscript was pThis manuscript was published some time around 1946ublished some time around 1946ublished some time around 1946ublished some time around 1946

This document was obtained fromThis document was obtained fromThis document was obtained fromThis document was obtained fromDilip Kumar PadhiDilip Kumar PadhiDilip Kumar PadhiDilip Kumar Padhi,,,, Hotel Sujata, SambalpurHotel Sujata, SambalpurHotel Sujata, SambalpurHotel Sujata, Sambalpur ---- KOSHAL, 768 001 INDIA KOSHAL, 768 001 INDIA KOSHAL, 768 001 INDIA KOSHAL, 768 001 INDIA EEEE----mail:mail:mail:mail:vu2dpi@gmail.comvu2dpi@gmail.comvu2dpi@gmail.comvu2dpi@gmail.comURL:URL:URL:URL:http://www.qsl.net/vu2dpihttp://www.qsl.net/vu2dpihttp://www.qsl.net/vu2dpihttp://www.qsl.net/vu2dpi

Contents of Contents of Contents of Contents of

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INTRODUCTION

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Situation and Area:

Dakshina Koshal,

better known in ancient, medieval and modern history as

Koshal,

is the tract of land situated in the upper and central valleys of the

Mahanadi

and itstributaries the

Tel, Jonk, Aung, Ib

and

Brahamani

rivers. The area of this tract is over 40,000square miles and present population of about 5,000,000 people. The States of

Bastar,Kalahandi, Patna, Raigarh, Sakti, Sarangarh, Athmattik, Baudh, Bamra, Rairakhol, Sonepur,Bonai

and

Gangpur

which are over 31,000 square miles having a population of over 3,500,000,at present in the Eastern States Agency, together with

Sambalpur

including

Borasambar

and

Khariar

and the

Khondmals,

at present in Orissa, and

Phuljhar, Deori

and

Bindra Nawagarh,

which are at present in the Central Provinces, make up the

Koshal

country.

Cultural Homogeneity:

The history of

Koshal

like that of all other countries shows theinterplay of centrifugal and centripetal forces and tendencies leading to centralisation understrong Kings and subsequent disruption into smaller units, from the

Vedic

down to the modernperiod. But down through all the ages, whether during the

Vedic, Puranic

and

Hindu

periods,during the glorious

Suryavanshis,

the Imperial

Airas

and

Koshal Guptas,

or during the

Mughal

and

Mahratta

periods when the

Chowhans

were most powerful, the cultural homogeneity of thepeople of

Koshal

has been maintained intact even till this day.

Language:

The language of this tract has been influenced by

Chotanagpuri Hindi

from thenorth, the

Chhattisgarhr Hindi

Lariya

from the west and by

Telegu

from the

Andhra

country in the south. Thus, though the language of this tract is

Oriya,

it has got a distinctiveness of its own. The language of

Koshal

is nowadays better known as the

Sambalpuri

dialect of

Oriya,

which distinguishes it from that of the four other main sub-cultural

Oriya groups

.Namely,

Kalinga (Ganjam). Utkala, Singhbhum

and

Bhanjbhum, which

together make upthe

Oriya

cultural group. The people of

Koshal tract

have also got common yet distinctculture, traditions, manners, customs, mode of living and a peculiarity of outlook whichbinds its people and gives this tract a distinctiveness, individuality and a personality of its own.

Leadership Amongst Oriya Cultural Groups:

By virtue of its extensive area and population,which makes

Koshal

the largest and most predominant

Oriya

cultural group, and also becauseof its geographical position and historical importance,

Koshal

had always been the traditionalleader of the

Oriyas

till the advent of the British. Excepting for brief periods during the

Airas

and

Koshal Guptas, Orissa

has never been united. Even during the hey-days of the

Kalinga

Empire and the

Ganga

and

Suryavanshi

Kings of

Orissa,

parts of

Singhbhum, Bhanjbhum,Kalinga

Koshal

have at different times remained outside the different

Oriya

Empires. But itwas through

Koshal

that

Aryan

culture has gone down to the coastal plains of

Orissa.

Evolutionary Forces Artificially Checked:

The natural evolutionary tendencies of India have received a rude shock from the impact of a foreign civilisation and culture. Thecentrifugal and centripetal tendencies have been artificially checked by the force of a superiorpower. But while this has brought about an apparent unity of India, by checking the naturaltendencies of different regions and dividing cultural homogeneous groups and sub-groups, foradministrative convenience and Imperial policy rather than for scientific reasons, it has sownthe seeds of discord and sufferings. The tendencies of regional particularism and exclusivenesson the part of groups and sub-groups of the different tracts on the one hand, and the forces of unification arising out of the need for growth on the other, have had no scope for free play. Theresult is that instead of finding their own levels, the various regions have grown up artificially with disastrous results.

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Disadvantages of Unnatural Growth:

Anything that is unnatural and artificial can neither belasting nor beneficial. Left to themselves the antagonistic forces, which were struggling forsupremacy in India on the disintegration of the

Mughal

Empire, would have spent themselvesand out of chaos would have appeared independent and well-defined homogeneous culturalunits. The centrifugal tendencies would no doubt have for a time kept these units exclusive.But this would at the same time have preserved the autonomy, regional particularism, culturalhomogeneity and local patriotism of each area. Needs of growth and complexities of modern lifewould in the natural course have provided the incentive for co-operation and the centripetalforces would again have brought about the unity of India, preserving at the same time thegreatest possible local autonomy to satisfy the need of regional particularism. This processwould have been a growth from below, and, therefore, not only natural but lasting as well. Itwould, at the same time, have preserved the cultural homogeneity of the different tracts. Atpresent, how-ever, the growth has been most unnatural and unfair in many cases. Culturalhomogeneous areas have been artificially disrupted, natural tendencies forcibly checked, andpeople of a common stock, language, manners, customs, history and traditions have beencruelly separated from their kith and kin.

Koshal

has been one of the worst sufferers in thisrespect.

Objects of this Pamphlet:

The injustice and cruelty of keeping culturally homogeneous groupsand sub-groups divided, and the disadvantages of such artificial separation is very widely recognised at present. In connection with the constitutional settlement of India, the question of revision of boundaries of the different regions would undoubtedly be considered. The removalof anomalies would not, however, be an easy task. The formation of new units would have totake account of past tendencies as well as present trends. With goodwill, determination andbroad vision, however, the problem can and should be satisfactorily solved. The object of thispamphlet is to examine the possibilities of reunion of

Koshal.

An attempt has been made in thefollowing pages to approach the problem from the angle of natural growth which is the path of Truth. Correct solution of problems have to be based on the Natural Laws in order to be trueand lasting. It is, therefore, essential that certain basic and fundamental causes governingevolution and growth should not be lost sight of in examining this question. The first chapterattempts at finding the basic governing factors and tendencies from an analytical historicalangle, and the problems of

Koshal

are examined in the light of these findings in this andsubsequent chapters. Illustrations from history in support of the conclusions have not beenincorporated to avoid making the pamphlet unduly lengthy For the people of

Koshal

andstudents of history of

Koshal,

however, there should be no difficulty in following the process of reasoning and recalling to mind the historical background which has led to these conclusions.Maps and Plans have been incorporated in this pamphlet for facility of clearer understanding of the facts, suggestions and conclusions. The suggestions offered and conclusions arrived at areof particular interest to the people of the

Sambalpur

tract, which is the heart of

Koshal.

But it ishoped that the suggestions will also be of interest and value to the Eastern States and otherOriya cultural groups in general.