Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
Journalist Asit Mohanty, the insightful untiring author, whose works cover major areas of Oriya literature, has come out with his latest part of Sahitya Mahabharat, a compilation of his column of the same caption, which Sri Soumya Ranjan Patnaik – chief of ‘Eastern Media’ where he works – released in the evening of January 27 in presence of Sri Rabi Kanungo, editor of Suryaprava, wherefrom the acclaimed column was reaching the readers every fortnight.
Styled in terms of the epic of principled battle, this part is presented as the second ‘Parva’ and with this, Orissa is now equipped with unique data that help studying contemporary Orissa’ scenario of letters, with its magnificence, and its contradictions.
The compilation provides Orissan authors with a perfect mirror to locate where black spots affect their brilliance.
The column ‘Sahitya Mahabharat’ had generated lots of interest in Orissa as its author was not in byline, but under a pseudonym: ‘Sri Sanjay’. Often hit with his depictions, fame-seekers and award mongers amongst Orissa’s persons of letters were wondering who Sri Sanjay was, even though sagacious analysis and style of the write-ups was making some of them assume that the pseudonym must be of Asit Mohanty.
Publisher of the compilation Sri Saroj Bal of Orissa’s stylish publishing house ‘Time Pass’ used the occasion to take the curtain off Sri Sanjay. Asit Mohanty came out of the pseudonym.
Editor of Suryapraava Sri Rabi Kanungo gave a great account of the stir the caustic column was making amongst the State’s authors and how he was to disappoint many of his personal friends eager to know the real name of the columnist.
Editor of Sambad and founder of Ama Odisha Sri Soumyaranjan Patnaik, in releasing the book, expressed pride over having a colleague who so ably has acted such a sentinel of Oriya literature. True, many men of letters revolve around Estern Media. But, lest they feel embarrassed, using a pseudonym and that too in a different forum was not necessary for Mr. Mohanty, he said. Uncompromising criticism helps excellence grow and hence Orissa’s writers should welcome both the volumes of Sahitya Mahabharat, opined Patnaik.
Eminent author and scholar Prof. Biswaranjan discussed on the book. We like to share his speech verbatim. It is in Oriya language and meant for the Oriyas of the world.