Odia Artist Raghunath Prusti

The Probable Progenitor of an Alternative Modernity

Ramakanta Samantaray and Sailen Routray

Illustration by Raghunath Prusti of 'Labanyabati' by Upendra Bhanja

Odia artist Raghunath Prusti was born in Mundamarei in Ganjam district of Orissa. He also went by another name ‘Uluchakra’. The writer and art historian J. P. Das argues that he lived sometime in the latter half of 19th century, based on the themes and style of his paintings.

However, it must be noted here that other scholars have dated him in the 18th century and the first half of the nineteenth. He was firmly rooted in his place of origin, Mundamarei. He was from a poor Vaishya family belonging to the teli caste that followed the traditional occupation of oil pressing and trading of turmeric. No one in his family survives now.

Prusti earned a living solely through work as an artist. Five of his thirteen works are in the possession of a Kumuti (trading/merchant caste folk of South Orissa) family of Mundamarei. For this patron Raghunath illustrated the manuscripts of ‘Gita Govinda’, ‘ArtatrAna ChautisA’, ‘UsAbhilAsa’, ‘LAbanyabati’ and ‘DAsapoi’. His other notable works include the illustrations of ‘SobhAbati’, ‘Prasna ChudAmani’ and ‘Sangita DAmodara’.

A large number of painters in Orissa traditionally belonged to Brahmin and KAyastha (Karana) communities. So as a Vaishya painter Raghunath Prusti occupied a liminal social space. He worked only on palm leaf manuscripts. 

He introduced several non-traditional thematic elements into his work, such as clocks, regency era furniture and English soldiers. He also dealt with novel stylistic elements in the Western style, such as three-quarter views of faces and spatial overlaps. 

Because of innovations that were rooted in his own cultural and artistic milieu, he might be seen as one of the true precursors of artistic modernity in the Odia speaking regions.

For Further Reading

Das, J.P. and Joanna Williams. 2017 [First Revised Edition]. ‘Palm-Leaf Miniatures: The Art of Raghunath Prusti of Orissa.’ Gurgaon: Shubhi Publications.

ଜନପଥ 

ଶୈଲେନ ରାଉତରାୟ

ଫଟୋ କ୍ରେଡ଼ିଟ୍ - ୱିକିମିଡିଆ କମନ୍ସ୍/ ଓଡ଼ିଶା ସରକାର

ମୁଁ ବସିଚି ଛାତ ଉପରେ ପଡ଼ିଥିବା ଟେବୁଲର ବାଁ କଡ଼ରେ ରାସ୍ତାକୁ ଅନେଇ । ମୋ ଆଗରେ ଖାରବେଳ ନଗରର ଗଛମାଳ । ଷ୍ଟେସନ ପୂର୍ବର ରାସ୍ତାରେ ଗାଡ଼ିମଟରର ଆଲୁଅ ଦିଶୁଟି ଜୁଳ‌ୁଜୁଳିଆ ପୋକ ପରି । ଗୌତମ ମୋ ଡାହାଣ ପାଖରେ । ତୁମେ ସିଧା ମୋ ଆଗରେ ଟେବୁଲ ସେପଟେ । ସୋନିଆ ତୁମ ବାଁ ଆଡ଼କୁ, ମାନେ ଗୌତମ ଆଗରେ ।

“ଭାଉଜ, ଲେମ୍ବୁ ପାଣିକୁ ଏମିତି ଡରି ଡରି ପିଇଲେ ହବ?” ସୋନିଆ ରହସ୍ୟ କରି କହିଲା । 

“ଭୁବନେଶରିଆଙ୍କୁ ବିଶ୍ୱାସ ନାହିଁ ।”

“ହଉ ରାଜା ଭାଇଙ୍କୁ ବିଶ୍ୱାସ ନକର । ମୋତେ ତ କର । ତମେ ଟଏଲେଟ ଯାଇକି ଆସିବା ଭିତରେ ଏଥିରେ କିଛି ମିଶିନି । ମୁଁ ତ ଆଉ କୁଆଡ଼େ ଯାଇନି” ।

“ହଉ । ତୁମ ୱାଇନ୍ କେମିତି ଅଛି” ।

ସୋନିଆ କିଛି ନ କହି ତୁମ ଓଠ ପାଖକୁ ଗିଲାସଟି ନେଇଆସିଲା । 

ତୁମେ ଚାଖିଲ ଆଉ କହିଲ, “ଇସ୍! ଏତେ କସା, କେମିତି ପିଉଚ!” 

ମୁଁ ମୋ ଗରମ ଲେମ୍ବୁ ପାଣିରେ ମିଶା ଓଲ୍ଡ଼୍ ମଙ୍କ୍‌ ପେଗ୍‌ରୁ ଢୋକେ ପିଇ କହିଲି. “ତୁମେ ଖଟା ଲେମ୍ବୁ ପାଣି କେମିତି ପିଉଚ? ସେମିତି” ।

ତୁମ ଚୁଟି ପବନରେ ଆଲୁରୁ ମାଲୁରୁ ହେଇ ଉଡ଼ୁଥାଏ । ମୁଁ ତୁମ ପଛକୁ ଗଲି । ଗୌତମ ତା ଫୋନରେ କିଛି ଖୁଡ଼ଖାଡ଼ କରୁଚି । ତାର ହ୍ୱିସ୍କି ଗିଲାସ ସେମିତି ତା ଆଗରେ ଠିଆ ହୋଇଚି । ଟେରାସ୍‌ର ଟେବୁଲ ସବୁ ଭର୍ତ୍ତି ହୋଇଗଲାଣି । 

କୁବୁଲା ଭାଇ, ଦୁଇ ହାତରେ ଦୁଇ ପ୍ଲେଟ୍ ମାଛ ଭଜା ଧରି ଆସୁଚନ୍ତି ଆମ ଆଡ଼େ । 

ମୁଁ ଗୌତମକୁ କହିଲି, “ତୁମେ ଫୋନକୁ ଛାଡ଼ପତ୍ର ଦିଅ । ତୁମ ଚୁନା ମାଛ ଭଜା ଆଉ ପୋହଳା ଫ୍ରାଏ ଆସିଗଲା” । 

ମୋ ଚଉକିକୁ ଫେରିବା ଆଗରୁ ତୁମ ଚୁଟିରେ ଜୁଡ଼ାଟିଏ ପକେଇ ଦେଇ କହିଲି, “ଚୁଟି ଉଡ଼ିଲେ ଖତରନାକ ଦିଶୁଚ, ଶୀତ ଦିନ ଅଧାରାତିର ଜନପଥ ପରି ।“

ତମେ କହିଲ, “ଦୁଷ୍ଟ ।“

ଠିକ୍ ସେତିକି ବେଳେ ବାଦଲ ଫାଙ୍କରୁ ଜହ୍ନ ତୁମ ପରି ଦିଶିଲା । ଆଉ ମୋ ଡାହାଣ ପଟର ରାସ୍ତା ଦିଶିଗଲା ଆମ ସ୍ୱପ୍ନର ରାତି ପରି ।

A Brief Discussion of the Book ‘Kalara Bichara’ by Odia Artist Gopal Kanungo

Ramakanta Samantaray and Sailen Routray

Cover of the Book 'Kalara Bichara'

This is the cover of the Odia book ‘KalAra BichAra’ by Odia artist Gopal Kanungo (1904-1971) which is now out of print. It was published in 1955 by Utkal University which was then housed in Cuttack. The printer was Bidhubhushan Misra, Maharaja Shri Ramachandra Utkal University Press, Cuttack. 

The print run was one thousand copies and the book was priced at five and half rupees. ‘KalAra BichAra’ was printed in 1/8 demy size with 161 pages. Including the cover it had 120 illustrations out of which six were colour plates.

The Floor Plan of Konark Temple
(Page 111 of 'Kalara Bichara')

The book’s introduction (originally written in Bengali and then translated into Odia) was by Ramendranath Chakravorty, a pioneer in Indian printmaking. He had written this half page note in 1950 when serving as the Principal of Government School of Art, Calcutta. This means it took around five years for the book’s manuscript to see the light of print. 

The volume had thirteen chapters that included themes ranging from Indian and various other Asian artistic traditions, European art forms and technical aspects of temple architecture, modern sculpture and architecture.

The Ashokan Elephant of Dhauli
(Page 129 of 'Kalara Bichara')

He was born in Lentigada village in undivided Puri district. His father Jagabandhu Kanungo, among other work, served as the Dewan of the princely state of Damapada and as the manager of the Sakhigopal temple near Puri. 

Gopal Kanungo did part of his school education in the famous nationalist institution Satyabadi Bana Bidyalaya. Then he went on to study for a BA degree in Ravenshaw College at Cuttack followed by a stint (1928-34) in Government School of Art, Calcutta. 

He then worked as an art teacher at Government High School Balasore. He also taught in Government Art School, Khallikote for some time.

Illustration of 'ChitA', a folk art form of Odia women
(Page 63 of 'Kalara Bichara')

Gopal Kanungo was a major artist and designer of his times and undertook one of the first experimentations with cubism and expressionism in the state. He was also a major writer in Odia and is now chiefly remembered as the translator of Omar Khayam’s ‘Rubaiyat’ (1954) into Odia. A major contribution of his to Odisa’s artistic discourse was the book ‘Utkalara ChitrakalA’ (1964) published by Orissa Lalit Kala Akademi.

ଫ୍ଲାଏଓଭର୍

ଶୈଲେନ ରାଉତରାୟ

ଆକାଶରୁ ରାତିରେ ଭୁବେନେଶ୍ୱରର ଦୃଶ୍ୟ (୨୦୧୯ ମସିହା)
ଫଟୋ କ୍ରେଡ଼ିଟ୍ - ୱିକିମିଡିଆ କମନ୍ସ୍

ତୁମ ବିନା ମୋତେ ଏଇ ମାଉସୀମା ମନ୍ଦିର ଫ୍ଲାଏଓଭର ଶୂନଶାନ ଲାଗିବ । 
ତମେ ତ ଏମିତି କହୁଚ ଯେମିତି ଆମେ ଏଠି ଘର କରି ରହିଥିଲେ ।
ଘର ନ କଲେ କଅଣ ହେଲା, ଆମ ସ୍ମୃତି ତ ଏଠି ବସା ବାନ୍ଧିଚି ।
ତମ ଭଳିଆ ଛତରାର ତ କେତେ ଫ୍ଲାଏଓଭର ଉପରେ କାହା କାହା ସହ ବସା ।
ହଉ ।
କଅଣ ଖରାପ ଲାଗିଲା ! ତମର ତ ନାକ ଅଗରେ ରାଗ ।
ତୁମର ଏଠି ଫ୍ଲାଏଓଭର ତିଆରି ହେବା ପୂର୍ବର ଚେକ୍ ଗେଟ୍ ରାସ୍ତା କଥା ମନେ ଅଛି ?
ନା । ତମର ?
ହଁ । ତୁମ ମୁଣ୍ଡ ପଛରେ ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଟାହିଆ ଭଳି ଦିଶୁଚି । ଏଇ ରଙ୍ଗର ଟିକିଲି ନାଇଲେ ତମକୁ ମାନନ୍ତା ।
ଟିକିଲି ପିନ୍ଧା ମୁହଁ ଦରକାର, ତ ଯାଅ କେଉଁ ଟୋକିକୁ ପଟାଅ ।
ସତେ ନା କଅଣ ! ତମେ ଦିଲ୍ଲୀ ଗଲା ପରେ କିଏ ଜାଣେ ।
ଏବେ ଜାଣ ସତ କହିଲ ।
ହଉ । ହେଲେ ତମେ ଗଲା ପରେ ମତେ ରବିବାରର ମାର୍କେଟ ବିଲ୍ଡିଂ ବି ଖାଁଖାଁ ଗୋଡ଼େଇବ ।

A Biographical Note on 

Odia Artist Bibhuti Bhusan Kanungo

Ramakanta Samantaray and Sailen Routray

Bibhuti Bhusan Kanungo
(9 December 1921 - 3 September 1983)

A premier institution in Orissa for art education, B. K. College of Art and Crafts, was started in 1984. Very few people know these days that B.K. stands for ‘Bibhuti Kanungo’, a celebrated applied artist of Orissa who made several pioneering efforts towards creating a base for education and training in the field of art. He was born in SAlagAn village in Cuttack district.

He studied in Government Art School, Calcutta and finished his education there in 1943. After returning to Cuttack in the same year he started doing applied work like book covers etc. In this period he also collaborated with Muralidhar Tali, another Odia artist of note of the times, to create an art school in 1947. 

When the Government of Orissa (GoO) started producing textbooks for schools in 1950s and 1960s, Bibhuti Bhusan Kanungo played a central role in illustrating these books. He worked as a designer in the Department of Textiles of the GoO for some time and left his job in 1968. 

During this period he started a studio called ‘RuperekhA’ in Mohammadia Bazar, Cuttack for undertaking applied art projects. He also illustrated the iconic Odia satirical magazine ‘NiakhuntA’ edited by Godabarisa Mohapatra (1898-1965). The cartoons and other illustrations that he did for this magazine are yet to identified and documented in a proper fashion. 

Bibhuti Kanungo was also a pioneer in making blocks for printing presses in Orissa. He founded a company called ‘Art Reproductions’ for the same that also had a printing press.

He also started a publishing house (with other artists such as Asit Mukherji, Muralidhar Tali and  Siba Panigrahi etc.) called ‘PAnchAli Publications’ that for the first time reproduced in texts, Odia pattachitras in multi-colour, through block prints. 

'Sachitra RAmAyana' published by PAnchAli was first such text that carried multi-colour block prints of traditional pattachitras as illustrations. In 1975 he took the lead in a collaborative effort, (finally abortive) for starting an art college in Cuttack.

Bibliography

Pathy, Dinanath. 2013. College GadhibAra Bela. Bhubaneswar: Divya Prakashani.

‘Silpi Bibhuti Kanungo: Eka SinghAbalokana’. Rangarekha – Fifth Issue. Edited by Jagdish Chandra Kanungo. A Publication of Orissa Lalit Kala Academy. [The name of the author and the date of publication are not given]