August - 2011 Orissa Review

Salt Satyagraha in Orissa

Prabodha Kumar Rath

In ancient times several Independent regional to many invasions and the freedom struggle
kingdoms, Viz, Kalinga, Utkala, Odra, Kosala, continued sporadically in different periods.
Tosali and Kangoda flourished in the region now
known as Orissa. The word Orissa (Promenade Orissa, as it is today, does not include all
as Odisa) is derived form the word Odra or Odra the Oriya speaking areas within its boundary.
Desa. In the 12th century A.D., the kingdoms of Portions of it remain in Bengal, Bihar, Madhya
Kalinga, Utkala, Odra and Kosala were politically Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. There was no
united to present Orissa. Considerable cultural political organizations in Orissa prior to the year
unity had prevailed over the area extending from 1882 A.D. A meeting of the citizens of Cuttack
the river Ganges in the north to the river Godavari was held in the premises of the Cuttack Printing
in the South and from the Bay of Bengal in the Company on 30th June 1882. It was attended by
East to the Amarkantak hill in the west. The people of different professions, prominent among
political union of the Oriya-speaking people them were Beharilal Pandit, Hariballabh Bose,
facilitated a long period of the unprecedented Madhusudan Das, Haji Abdul Rahaman Musa
cultural unity. Modern Orissa extends from 170 27’ etc. A resolution was moved in the meeting
N to 220 34’ N and from 810 29’E to 870 29’E thanking the Governor General for the Local self
longitude on the eastern coast of India . It is Govt. Resolution. The second meeting also
bounded by West Bengal on the North-East, arranged in the same premise on 16th August, 1882
Bihar on the North, Madhya Pradesh on the under the presidentship of Chaudhury Kasinath
West, Andhra Pradesh on the South and Bay of Das. Mr. Madhusudan Das proposed
Bengal in the East. The area of the Orissa State is establishment of a permanent political situation for
155, 842 square kilometers. Orissa under the name of ‘Utkal Sabha’ to deal
with all political matters relating to Orissa. This
Freedom Struggle in Orissa began as far proposal was accepted and Chaudhuri Kashinath
back as the 3rd Century BC, when the Mauryan Das was elected as the first president of Utkal
ruler Asoka invaded Kalinga in 261 BC. The Sabha, Haji Muhammed Rahaman Musa as the
Kalingan army faced the invader with grim Vice-President and Gauri Sankar Ray as
determination and laid down their lives in Secretary. This organization gradually became
thousands to save the freedom of their strong and progressive ‘Utkal Samilini’ was born
motherland. Since then Orissa has been subjected of it in 1903. It devoted itself to the problem of

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amalgamation of all Oriya speaking regions under revolt in the coastal districts of Orissa against
one administration. The period from 1912 to 1947 imposition of salt tax. Gopabandhu Choudhury
forms an important chapter of modern Orissa. In was elected as the dictator of the Civil
1912 Orissa Division was separated from Bengal Disobedience Movement in Orissa. The people
and tagged with Bihar to form a separate province of coastal Orissa were financially hard hit due to
much to the disappointment of the people of the operation of the Salt Law. So he thought that
Orissa. This period also witnessed two distinct some steps should be taken for the redressal of
movements one for the amalgamation of Oriya their financial sufferings.
speaking areas scattered over two other
neighbouring provinces, namely Madras and The members of Utkal Pradesh Congress
Central Provinces into one single administrative Committee decided on ‘Inchudi” to be the right
venue of salt satyagraha.2 On 6th April 1930,
unit and another for attainment of national
independence. Gopabandhu Chaudhury and Acharya Harihar
Das led the first batch of 21 volunteers from
In 1920s a new wave of nationalism Swaraj Ashram, Cuttack to Inchudi on foot. On
swept across the whole of India, after the 9th April Gopabandhu Choudhury was arrested
emergence of Gandhi as the leader of the Indian at Chandol. Now the batch was pilotted by
National Congress. Under the leadership of Pandit Achraya Harihar Das. The Satyagraha reached
Gopabandhu Das, the Oriya people joined the Balasore on 12 April. On the way to Inchudi they
national mainstream. The Utkal Pradesh Congress were showered with flowers and greeted with
Committee was formed under his leadership in conch sound by women.3 On 13th April Acharya
1921. He preached the message of the Non Co- Harihar with his followers picked up some Salt
operative movement in Orissa. Gandhiji’s visit to earth and broke the salt law. He was arrested
Orissa in 1920 gave tremendous fillip to the and Satyagrahis from other places of Orissa in
Congress movement in Orissa. The Utkal five phases also broke the Salt Law at Inchudi.
Provincial Congress Committee took up the Non- They were Lauha Stambha Bahini of Puri, Ganjam
Cooperation programme successfully. Bahini of Ganjam, Sambalpur Bahini of
Sambalpur and Orissa Gujrati Bahini.4 Police lathi
The historic Civil Disobedience charged the Satyagrahis at Sundari Chhak,
Movement was promulgated by Gandhiji in the Jamkunda in north Balasore which became
historic Lahore Session of the Indian National another centre of Salt Satyagraha. On 20 April
Congress. Breaking of Salt Law was taken up as 1930, villagers of Sartha broke the salt law under
the first phase of the Civil Disobedience the leadership of Karunakar Panigrahi, Biswanath
Movement. The Salt Satyagraha Movement was Das, Nilambar Das, Mathuri Behera and
launched in Orissa under the able leadership of Bhagabat Sahoo. People broke Salt Law at
H.K. Mahatab, the President of Utkal Pradesh Rasulpur Sri Jang, Bardhan Pur, Bhimpur, Tundra,
Congress Committee in 1930. In Orissa the only Kuanrpur, Ratai, Parikhi, Kheranga, Gudi,
subsidiary industry to agriculture had been salt Rajabala, Salgaon, Mandari, Eram, Chudamani,
industry due to its vast coastline. With the advent Bideipur, Boita, Brahmapur, Panchapur, Atalabad.
of East India Company, the manufacture of salt Thus 22 places of Balasore District became the
was banned in India. In 1860 there had been a centres of Salt Satyagrah. 5

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As per the decision of the Utkal Pradesh participation in a movement was very large.
Congress Committee Narayan Birabara Samanta Everyday large number of people poured into the
took the leadership of Salt Satyagraha at Kujung. coastal villages to join the Satyagraha showing
He was greatly supported by Ramadevi, Malati complete disregard to police reprisal and willingly
Devi, Sarat Ch. Das, Narayan Patra, Natu courted arrest for manufacturing salt and carrying
Mohanty, Maheswar Pradhan and Raghunath to market for sale.6 One of the striking features
Satpathy. Besides Kujang many other places in of this movement in Orissa was the participation
the district of Cuttack also successfully conducted of women. Srimati Malati Devi, Rama Devi and
Salt Satyagraha. Annapurna Devi came forward to mobilize
women. Another feature of this movement was
Nilakantha Das, Jagannath Rath and the participation of a large number of students.
Govind Das toured Satyabadi, Astarang, The children volunteers or “Monkey Brigade” also
Chhabiskud and Marichpur to mobilize people played a vital role in the movement. 7 The
for Salt Satyagraha. A meeting was organized at movement was suspended after the Gandhi-Irwin
Praharajpur where Balabhadra Mohapatra, Pact of 1931. At the Karachi Session of the Indian
Narayan Mishra and Ramaranjan Mohanty National Congress, Orissa was given the credit
appealed the people to manufacture salt. Regular of being second in India in conducting Salt
salt campaign began on 22nd May 1930 in Satyagraha.8
different places such as Astarang, Latra,
Singheswari, Khandasahi, Mandakini Khudi and References :
Olanger police arrested Purusottom Jagannath
1. Transcripts of Mahatab, NMML, New Delhi,
Rath, Basu Sahu, and Divyasingha Mohanty for
P-73.
carrying contraband Salt. Nilakantha Das was
2. Home Pol. Progs. F. No-5/62/1932.
arrested on 30th May 1930 at Sakhigopal.
3. The Prajatantra, 28 April, 1930.
In the district of Ganjam both Oriya and 4. H.K. Mahatab, Dasha Barsara Orissa (Oriya),
Telegu Satyagrahis formed their own groups under Cuttack, 1935, P-85.
the leadership of Niranjan Patnaik, Biswanath Das 5. Young India, 1st May, 1930.
and Ramlingam Pantulu and Master Sanaya
6. S. Choudhury, Economic History of Colonialism,
respectively. On 7th May, 1980, Satyagrahis A study, British Policy in Orissa, Delhi, 1979,
broke the salt law at Ganjam. Swadeshi Salt was P-195.
produced at Huma. Apart from Niranjan Patnaik, 7. Home Political F/No 18.1.1931 (NAI).
Biswanath Das, Sarala Devi, Sashi Bhusan Rath,
8. Report of the Indian Statutory Commission,
Dibakar Patnaik and Narsingha Sahu took active Vol-I, Calcutta, 1930 in M.N. Das (ed.) Sidelights
part in the Salt Satyagraha of Ganjam district. in the History and culture of Orissa, Cuttack, 1977.
Under the leadership of Radha Krushna
Biswasray volunteers from Koraput district also
joined the campaign.

Despite the flood of arrests and police

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