Kosal at a glance

Western Orissa is comprised of the Aathmallik sub-division of Angul district and 10 western districts of Orissa state named Sundargad, Debgad, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargad, Sonepur, Baud, Balangir, Nuapad and Kalahandi.

The region is positioned between 19º 37’- 23º N latitude and 82º 28’- 85º 22’ E longitudes. The district covers a geographical area above 56,700 Sq. Km and supports a population of about 10,715,710 (2011 census). This geographical area is also recognised by the state government of Orissa as the area under the jurisdiction of Western Orissa Development Council (WODC), an autonomous body under the state government.

These districts occupy about 34% of the total geographical area and 24.83% of the total population of Orissa state.

Though considered as the bed of wealth, WO has been neglected by the successive state governments since independence and the creation of the Orissa state. The political situation in the state has become more favorable for the coastal Orissa politicians, because of the population density there. A larger numbers of representatives to the legislative assembly are from the Coastal Orissa as compare to the thinly populated WO which has just 42 MLAs out of 147 for the whole state.

Also, the lack education and awareness among the tribals of WO towards modern politics and towards their constitutional rights has made them marginalized in today’s world.

The coastal Orissa people have another advantage above the WO population is the opportunity of studding in Oriya language which is not tangible for average WO person as the language spoken in WO is Sambalpuri, a language different from Oriya by means of vocabulary and grammar though certain level of similarities too are observed.The little similarities whatever found between these two languages are common to all the Aryan languages .

The century of exploitation under Orissa government has fueled the demand for a separate state of Kosal comprising the 10 and ½ districts of Western Orissa. It qualifies all the parameters being taken into consideration while formation of states in past such as

Having a Separate language and culture

The common language used in WO is popularly known as Sambalpuri. It is also known as Sundargadi, Balangiri and Kalahandia depending on the districts it is spoken. After the demand of separate state of Kosal comprising the WO districts, it has got a new name, “Kosli”. There is a consciousness growing among intellects of Western Orissa to recognise this language in the 8th schedule of the Indian constitution as Kosli or Sambalpuri.

There are also many community languages spoken here in WO by small number of people such as Aghria, Khadia, Kisan, Sadri, Bhulia, Oram, Munda, etc which are limited to their respective communities.

WO has a distinct culture and language which keeps it separate from the rest of the state. The religious character of the land is predominantly Hinduism influenced by tribal way of worshiping. One can find all the three major sects of Hinduism, i,e; Saivaism, Vaisnavaism, Shakti cult observed by the natives. Apart from these there are practitioners of Christianity mostly among the tribals and a little Islam follower. There are Sikh, Jain and Buddhist among the migrated communities too.

The main festivals celebrated here are Nuakhai, Pusspuni, Bhaijuntia, Puojuntia, Karma, etc which are celebrated across the region by the natives. These festivals are unique to this region and are not celebrated by the rest population of Orissa. Similarly the biggest festival of Coastal Orissa, “Raja” is not known to the native of this land and thus not significant for them at all.

There are other religious festivals observed too, throughout the WO which are common to the entire Eastern India such as Dasra(Dussera – worship of Goddess Durga), Rathjatra (the car festival of Lord Jagannath), Diali (the festival of light remembering the win of Lord Ram over evil Ravan), Holi (the festival of colour), Rakhipuni (Rakhya Bandhan), Shiv Ratri, Shital Sashthi, etc.

Because of the constant assimilation of tribals and non-tribals, the character of the WO people is simple and outgoing.

Underdevelopment

The ten Western Orissa districts lag behind their counterparts of coastal districts in core sectors with meager percentage till date.

Looking at the degree of development/ backwardness of 10 Western Orissa districts, it can be said that out of 87 blocks only 5 blocks are developed, 25 are developing, another 25 are backward and 32 blocks are very backward, whereas in coastal districts 70 blocks are developed, 50 blocks are very backward out of total 227 blocks.

Only 5.7% developed blocks 36.78% very backward blocks are there in WO districts. This is against 30.84% of the developed blocks only 22.03% are in very backward blocks in non –WO districts.

(Source – Ghadei Committee Report to OLA)

As per the L.T.A.P of K.B.K. the 4 WODC Districts, Balangir, Subarnapur, Nuapada and Kalahandi are having irrigation potentials much below the State average.

The health situation is even worst in WO districts as compared to the Coastal Orissa. There is just one single Govt Medical College and Hospital there in Western Orissa where as there are two in Coastal Orissa. Central government too, is establishing the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) and ESI Medical college and Hospital in the capital. State govt too, is upgrading the Capital Hospital in BBSR into a Medical College and Hospital.

As against the State figure of 65 infant deaths per 1000 life births, district like Kalahandi in the Western Orissa had 119 infant deaths. Prevalence of under-weight among children is also high in these tribal dominating districts. The health situation is really gloomy if we look at maternal death rates. Women in these households work hard at home, in the fields, bear children and do not get the medical attention while giving birth to children.

Occurrence of malaria remains a threat to the people in the tribal areas. As many as 158 blocks in tribal districts, which contribute 70 per cent of the malarial cases, suffer the worst. Sometimes outbreak of mysterious diseases in these regions takes a heavy toll of life. Poverty and deprivation leave very little money with people to spend on the treatment of diseases and illness.

Smaller in size better to administer

With about 56,700 Sq Km area, Kosal will be bigger than the states of Himachal Pradesh (55,673 Sq Km), Uttarakhand (53566 Sq Km), Punjab (50,362), Haryana (44,212 Sq Km), Kerala (38,863 Sq Km), Meghalaya (22,429 Sq Km), Manipur (22,327 Sq Km), Mizoram (21,081 Sq Km), Nagaland (16,579 Sq Km), Tripura (10,492 Sq Km), Sikkim (7,096 Sq Km), Goa (3,720 Sq Km), Delhi (1,483 Sq Km) and rest other Union Territories such as Andaman and Nicobar, Puducherry, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Chandigarh, Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep

Economical viability

WO is boast with abundance of natural resources, i,e; river, forest cover, minerals, etc. The Sambalpur based Northern revenue division is considered to be the 10th biggest revenue contributor nationally. It has a sizable educated manpower that is depriving of jobs in current Orissa state due to disparity.

Separate Historical Back ground

WO was forming a part of Souther Kosal during 7^th to 10^th century AD and thus the name has been derived. During the Somavanshi rule Binitapura (present day’s Binka) and Subarnapur (present day’s Sonpur) at the bank of river Mahandi were serving as the power center for entire Orissa and Chhatisgarh state (the area of then South Kosal kingdom). South Kosal is different from the mythological Kosal of Northern India of which Ayodhya was the capital and Ram, the great king of the Ikshvaku Solar dynasty after whom the epic Ramayan is written.

Between 15th century and 18th century WO was under the rule of Chauhans of Sambalpur. Where as Coastal Orissa was under Afghan and Moughals. During British occupation too, WO was administered under South west Frontier Agency or Chhota Nagpur Division and later under the Chhatisgarh Division of Central Province where as Coastal Orissa was under Bengal presidency.

Only during the rules of the Chedi emperor Kharabela, the Gangas and the Gajapatis of Kalinga, and Somavanshis of Dakhin Kosal the whole of present day’s Orissa and Chhatisgarh were administered as single unit. But they are separate states in present political situation.