Gangadhar Meher
Gangadhar Meher was a prominent Odia poet, writer, and social reformer from the state of Odisha in India. He is celebrated as one of the greatest poets in Odia literature. Meher’s works are known for their simplicity, emotional depth, and social consciousness. He wrote on various themes such as love, nature, patriotism, and social issues.
| Attribute | Details |
| Born | 9 August 1862 |
| Place | Barpali |
| Died | 4 April 1924 (aged 61) |
| Pen name | Swabhaba Kabi |
| Occupation | Judicial Moharir (Accountant) |
| Language | Odia |
| Education | Std V |
| Genres | Poet |
| Subjects | Devotion |
Childhood Story of Gangadhar Meher
Gangadhar Meher was born in 1862 in Barpali, which is now part of the Bargarh district in Odisha, India. His father, Chaitanya Meher, worked as a village Ayurvedic doctor and also weaved cloth to support the family. However, the family struggled financially, so Chaitanya Meher opened a small village school to teach a few children.
Despite facing various challenges, Gangadhar managed to attend school up to a middle level of education. He developed a strong interest in reading, especially Odia epics like the Ramayan by Balaram Das and the Mahabharata by Sarala Das. He also studied many Sanskrit books, including the “Raghubansam”. Gangadhar was proficient in languages like Hindi and Bengali as well, and he held great respect for works like the Tulsi Ramayan in Hindi.
At the age of 10, Gangadhar got married. Due to the family’s financial struggles, he had to help his father with weaving after attending school in the morning. Despite his young age, Gangadhar’s weaving was admired for its beauty, and he was also known for his neat handwriting, which people sought for writing their documents.
The family’s financial situation started to improve with Gangadhar’s hard work, but unfortunately, their ancestral home was destroyed in a fire, causing further hardship for the family.
| Attribute | Details |
| Spouse(s) | Shanta Devi, Champa Devi (After the death of Shanta Devi) |
| Children | Arjun Meher (died at the age of 12), Bhagaban Meher (Famous as Kabi-Putra), Basumati Meher, Laxmi Meher |
Notable Works
Gangadhar Meher’s poetic creations include “Indumatee” (1894), “Kichakabadha” (1903), “Kavita Kollola” (1912), “Utkalalaxmi” (1914), “Ayodhyadrushya” (1914), “Tapaswini” (1914), “Pranayaballari” (1915), “Arghyathali” (1918), “Krushaka Sangeeta” (1921), “Ahalyastaba”, “Mahima”, “Bhalari Bhawana”, “Kumar Janmutsaba”, “Bhakti Upahara”, “Padmini”, and “Kavitamala”. Additionally, he authored some prose literature, including his short autobiography.
| Title | Year |
| Indumatee | 1894 |
| Kichakabadha | 1903 |
| Kavita Kollola | 1912 |
| Utkalalaxmi | 1914 |
| Ayodhyadrushya | 1914 |
| Tapaswini | 1914 |
| Pranayaballari | 1915 |
| Arghyathali | 1918 |
| Krushaka Sangeeta | 1921 |
| Ahalyastaba | – |
| Mahima | – |
| Bhalari Bhawana | – |
| Kumar Janmutsaba | – |
| Bhakti Upahara | – |
| Padmini | – |
| Kavitamala | – |