Special Puja numbers of periodicals giving boost to literature in Odisha

• PRAFULLA DAS

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Durga Puja gives a boost to Odia literature every year and adds thousands of pages of printed words published in a month. When people celebrate Puja, it’s also time for publication and sale of the Puja numbers of the literary periodicals thriving in the State.

At least 79 special Puja numbers of different literary periodicals are already available in the market. A few more that faced delay in publication are about to hit the stalls soon. Contrary to the notion that print media is on the wane after the growth of television and social media, the number of literary periodicals in Odisha, particularly the Puja numbers, is increasing every year.

Over the last five years, Puja numbers of Odia literary periodicals are crossing the 100-mark, says Keshab Chandra Muduli, a magazine stall owner at the Old Bus Stand in the city.

Old Bus Stand, which has several shops selling magazines and periodicals, is witnessing brisk business with people queuing up to buy Puja specials. Similar is the scene at the magazine shops in the city and other parts of the State.

The Puja numbers of various periodicals are published regularly unlike other months of the year primarily because most of the advertisers release advertisements for these special issues. For the poets and writers of Odisha, it’s the best time of the year. They not only spend hours discussing the good poems and short stories by fellow writers, but also about the impressive Puja numbers of different periodicals.

This year the Dussehra special of Bartika , an Odia periodical published from Dasarathpur, a block headquarters town in Jajpur district, is the voluminous of all. It has 1,616 pages containing novels, novelettes, an autobiography, plays, short stories translated from other languages, and new short stories and poems by many old masters as well as new poets and writers. The other prominent periodicals that have made their presence felt in this year’s Puja special numbers include Paschima, Amrutayana, Kadambini, Nabalipi and Aaina.

Contemporary issues such as Nabakalebara of Lord Jagannath and self-styled babas have dominated many literary creations. The Puja numbers with substantial literary works with good paper and quality graphics is indeed a reassurance to the Odia readers and patrons, says writer Kedar Mishra.