Gopalakrusna Pattanayaka (1784–1862) (Alternatively spelled Gopalakrishna, Pattnaik; ) was an Odia poet & composer of

Odissi music music () is a genre of classical music in India, originated from the eastern state of Odisha. The traditional ritual music for the service of Lord Jagannatha, Odissi music has a history spanning over two thousand years, authentic ''sangita-shas ...

. His Odissi songs in various traditional ragas and talas are widely sung across the state, as well as other allied traditional artforms of Odisha, such as ''

pala Pala may refer to: Places Chad *Pala, Chad, the capital of the region of Mayo-Kebbi Ouest Estonia * Pala, Kose Parish, village in Kose Parish, Harju County * Pala, Kuusalu Parish, village in Kuusalu Parish, Harju County *Pala, Järva County, vi ...

''. The 20th-century Odissi musician, vocalist & binākara Apanna Panigrahi, also from the poet's hometown, was well-known for his renditions of Gopalakrusna's lyrics. Some of the most iconic Odissi songs, such as ''Syamaku Juhara Tara Premaku Juhara Ma'', ''Jala Ani Jai Kali Kalindasutaku'', ''Sangini Re Rasarangini Re'', ''Kadamba Bane Bansi Bajila Re'', ''Uthilu Ede Begi Kahinkire, Ki Nadare Prana Sangini'', ''Manasija Mana Mohana'' are creations of Gopalakrusna. Many of his songs are popular ''abhinaya'' items in

Odissi dance Odissi (), also referred to as Orissi in old literature, is a major ancient Indian classical dance that originated in the Hindu temple, temples of Odisha – an eastern coastal state of India. Born in 1784 in a ''karana'' family of

Paralakhemundi Paralakhemundi shortly known as Parala is district Headquarter of Gajapati district and one of the oldest Municipality established in 1885, in the Indian state of Odisha. Majority of the people in the town speak Odia. The city and the Distri ...

, Gopalakrusna's father Banabasi Pattanayaka was in the service of the Gajapati kings of the powerful princely state of Odisha. His mother's name was Lalita Dei. At the age of twenty, Gopalakrusna was married to a young girl by the name of Hira Dei. In the early days of his life, Gopalakrusna remained in the service of the Gajapati king as a ''panjia karana'', an accountant-scribe. Later, after training from the virtuoso musician poet ''Bakrabak'' Chakrapani Pattanayaka, his fame as a poet and musician grew and the king subsequently offered him an exclusive position in the court to encourage his musical & literary pursuits. ''Kabisurjya''

Baladeba Ratha ''Kabisurjya'' Baladeba Ratha (alternatively spelled ''Kabisurya, Kavisurya Baladev Rath,'' ; c. 1789 – 1845) was an Indian poet who wrote in the Odia language, and a composer and musician of Odissi music, most known as poet-composer of the '' ...

and ''Utkala Ghanta''

Jadumani Mahapatra Jadumani Mahapatra (alternatively spelled ''Mohapatra''; ; 1781–1866) also known as ''Utkala Ghanta'' was an Odia language poet, humorist and satirist, who was principal poet during the rule of King Vinayak Singh Mandhata of Nayagarh princel ...

were his contemporaries. Another Odissi musician, the poet Haribandhu was inspired by Gopalakrusna to write lyrics and set them to music. Haribandhu is credited with documenting a significant number of Gopalakrusna's songs, as the poet himself was not concerned with preserving his songs. Gopalakrusna would sing impromptu, overcome by divine inspiration and Haribandhu as a child would follow him, noting everything down onto a palm leaf. Odissi_poet_Gopalakrusna's_handwritten_Gitagobinda_Pothi

Odissi_poet_Gopalakrusna's_handwritten_Gitagobinda_Pothi

Gopalakrusna's writings have been published as anthologies more than once. The first significant anthology was made by the poet's own great-grandson, Ramakrusna Pattanayaka in 1919. Before Ramakrusna's anthology, smaller collections of the poet's work had appeared in bits and pieces in Damodar Patnaik's ''Sangita Sagara'' (1889-1903) and Gobinda Ratha's ''Chaupadi Chandrodaya'' (1895). The Gajapati press in Paralakhemundi had also published small booklets of the poet's work in the early 1900s. Subsequently, larger anthologies have been collated and published by Babaji Baisnaba Charana Dasa (195-60), ''Kabichandra'' Kali Charan Patnaik (1959), Saroj Kumar Panigrahi (1969) and Dr. Krushna Charan Behera (2002). A musical album called ''Lyrics of Gopalakrushna'' was made by the involvement of leading Odissi musicians and erstwhile chief minister Nandini Satapathy in the year 1970. Eminent Gurus such as ''Sangita Sudhakara'' Balakrushna Dash, Shyamamani Devi, ''Suramani''

Raghunath Panigrahi Suramani' Pandit'' Raghunath Panigrahi (; 10 August 1932 – 25 August 2013) was an Odissi music Guru, vocalist, composer and music director. He is most known for his renditions of Jayadeva's Gita Govinda and his vocal support for his wife, th ...

, Bhubaneswari Mishra and Indira Pratihari lent their voices to the various tracks. Gopalakrusna died in 1862. His last poem is said to be a prophecy of his death : At the poet's residence in Paralakhemundi, there is a life-size wooden statue of the poet. This statues was made in 1921 by Brundabana Chandra Patnaik, an elderly craftsman who had seen the poet during his lifetime. Some other items of his use, such as a ''karani'' stylus used by Odia scribes and his bodybuilding tools are preserved by the family.

Compositions

Some well-known Odissi compositions of the poet are: * ''Brajaku Chora Asichi'' * ''Patha Chhadi De Mu Jibi Phula Toli'' * ''Kananara Bitanare'' * ''Muhamuhin Kisora Chandramankara Mora'' * ''Karuthili Mun Nahi Nahi Re'' * ''Bajuchhi Sahi Bajare To Naare Brajabajare'' * ''Chhailabara Chhamure Padili'' * ''Aja Sri Gostha Chandrama'' * ''Banchiba Kehire'' * ''Syama Ja Ja Juhara To Piratiki'' * ''Bhaja Mana Brajabana Dwijarajanku'' * ''Kaha Re Sangini Ke Se Nua Lalana'' * ''Etharaka Syama Dosa Kara Khyama'' * ''Anusarita Prabhu Kala Jaka Gala Sarita'' * ''Ki Sunili Aja Νua Kari Re'' * ''Mote Laganare Brajabidhu Lata'' * ''Mohana Riti Chinha Padila Ma'' Many of Gopalakrusna's compositions have become iconic in the voice of legendary Odissi musicians, such as : * ''Mohana Madhuri Dekhithila Nari'' by Apanna Panigrahi * ''Mane Paduchhi Re Sehi Chandramukha'' by Mohan Sunder Deb Goswami * ''Gostha Chandrama Asibe Aja'' by Tarini Charan Patra * ''Ki Nama Boilu Tuhi Go Lalite'' by ''Banikantha'' Nimai Charan Harichandan * ''Brajendra Nandana Sahi Eka Sri Radhara'' by ''Banikantha'' Nimai Charan Harichandan * ''Kanta Mora E Basanta Kalare'' by ''Banikantha'' Nimai Charan Harichandan * ''Banchiba Kehire'' by Singhari Shyamasundar Kar * ''Aja Sri Gostha Chandrama'' by

Balakrushna Das Sangeeta Sudhakara Balakrushna Dash () was a veteran Guru of Odissi music. One of the chief disciples of the legend Pt Gokul Srichandan, Gokul Chandra Srichandan of Kendrapada, Dash worked variously as a vocalist, composer and music director. He re ...

h * ''Kaha Chitta Taha'' by

h * ''E Ghana Dina Eka Nebe Ki Kari'' by

h * ''Galabele Mo Jiba'' by

h * ''Manasija Mana Mohana'' by

* ''Ki Nadare Prana Sangini'' by

* ''Syamaku Juhara Tara Premaku Juhara'' by Shyamamani Devi * ''Syama Apabada Mote Lagithau'' by Shyamamani Devi * ''Kadamba Bane Bansi Bajila'' by Bhubaneswari Mishra * ''Jala Ani Jai Kali'' by Bhubaneswari Mishra

Lineage

References

{{Odia literature 1784 births 1862 deaths People from Paralakhemundi Poets from Odisha Odia-language poets Odissi music composers Indian male poets 18th-century Indian poets 19th-century Indian poets