The ‘Oriya Pua ’ Archetype in Colonial Literature and the Formation of Oriya National Consciousness

Abstract

This article examines the archetype of the ‘Oriya pua’ [Oriya son] and its crucial role in transforming literature into a vehicle for fostering national consciousness in colonial Orissa. The article draws on a varied set of primary sources, including newspaper and magazine articles, literary works, speeches, correspondences and public engagements of key nationalist figures to explore how literature, through symbolic and familial metaphors, transcended traditional artistic boundaries to become an instrument of sociopolitical resistance. The central research question investigates the emergence and conceptualisation of the ‘Oriya nation’ as a distinct entity within the collective consciousness of a fragmented Oriya-speaking populace. By employing the metaphor of the motherland and her sons, nationalist leaders, poets and writers crafted a compelling narrative that unified the community while reinforcing the distinct yet inclusive nature of the Oriya identity. This study argues that the Oriya pua archetype served as a strategic tool for nation-building, inspiring a sense of duty, cultural pride and national identity. Through a qualitative analysis of the aforementioned literary and nationalist discourses, the article highlights the dynamic interplay between literature, identity and the formation of national consciousness in colonial Orissa.