Nestled along the bank of the river Mahanadi, Cuttack speaks volumes about its charm and artistic prowess in heritage and craftsmanship. The bustling streets of Cuttack, where history whispers through the wind, are renowned for their rich history and cultural legacy, colonial monuments, and traditional craftsmanship. These narrow streets are the treasure troves and a gateway to the flourishing world of 52 Bazar 53 Gali. Cuttack, in every way, still holds the charm of a historic city. Its culture has evolved through the centuries, as have its people and their lives.
The Millennium City and the former capital of Odisha were once the cradle ground for the independence movement. In the pre-independence time, the press, literature, theatre, and its people played a formidable role in organising masses against the oppressive British rule. The artisans of Cuttack were known for producing the finest Tarakashi (Silver Filigree) work in the world, which is believed to have been introduced by the Mughals. Such cultural diffusion establishes Bhaichaara among the neighbours and inhabitants of the city. The present-day title, Silver City of Cuttack, derives its name from Silver Filigree. Not just in arts and crafts, the city has also shaped the mind of many individuals, where institutions like Ravenshaw University (then college) served as an important centre of learning, intellectual movement, and political discourse of Odisha.
I grew up spending my holidays in Cuttack, sitting behind the bicycle carrier of my cousin. I have enjoyed every moment in a city that dazzles with silver filigree, smells like Dahibara Aloodum, does politics in chaa khati (Tea Stall), and believes in relishing each moment, is nothing but a Cuttackia’s thing.
Its never-ending lanes hold politics, memories, nostalgia, mosquitoes, potholes, and even the aromas of fish curry being prepared in distant neighbourhoods. Most importantly, its Bhaichaara (Fraternity) is the core and is rooted in Cuttack’s existence for centuries. That makes Cuttack unique and incredible in every way. I still recollect how my aunt used to feed us with yummy biryanis and lachha kheer during Ramzan. Whether it’s Eid or any other occasion, she never fails to send me those yummy dishes and mouth-watering handmade delicacies. Even during the Rath Yatra or any other festivals, her children will make a special demand to send Pithas, Dalma, and Ghanta for them. Cuttackias live for celebrating those moments together.
During the festivities like Durga Puja, Makar, Bali Jatra, Eid, Christmas, people from various religious communities came forward to celebrate and cherish moments together. Durga Puja, one of the foremost festivals celebrated with pomp and grandeur in Cuttack, finds devotees and admirers from each Sahi and Mahallas. Sahis used to prep for these festivals in advance. Communities living here, both Hindus and Muslims, take part in the preparation of medha. The intricate and detailed Zari work that attracts thousands of visitors from neighbouring towns, cities, and even outside states was actually created by Muslim artisans of Cuttack. In today’s world of rising division and hyper-individualism, Cuttack offers the joy, empathy, and compassion for community living and shared culture that is rare to find. In this tradition, Cuttack has the privilege of holding the centuries-old Bhaichaara alive and continuing it in contemporary time’s where side by side other minority communities such as Christians, Bengali, Marwari, Gujrati, and Telugu live together.
The city resides in our imagination and has embraced everyone by opening its arms for all. While asking them nothing except love in return, a city that breathes love and has been a symbol of communal harmony—Bhaichara. Today, Cuttack stands wounded, harmed, and bleeding out of anger, hatred, and violence. Our city, Cuttack, has never been like this before. Yes, it is chaotic and messy, yet Cuttack is beautiful and always under construction. It is old, it is antique, but it does not need any repair with violent communal tension. What it truly needed was to value its own enduring syncretic traditions that have survived generations.
Cuttack produced many visionary intellectuals and leaders who shaped the national and linguistic state formation movement. These luminaries not only fought against the British but also worked for bringing reform in Odia society. They acted like glue that binds the whole society together. Madhusudan Das, known as Madhu Babu/Utkala Gourav, campaigned for the unification of Odisha from Cuttack by establishing Utkal Sammilani, Odisha Art Wares, and Utkala Tannery. Rama Devi, fondly called Maa (Mother), was a freedom fighter and a Gandhian from Cuttack. She worked for the education of girl children across Odisha. Stalwarts such as Subhas Chandra Bose, Sarala Devi, Sayeed Mohammad, Hare Krushna Mahatab, Nandini Satpathy, and many more were also born in the soil of Cuttack. These are but a few names among many. They served different chapters of society, but they were part of the same book called Cuttack.
Cuttack has been at the forefront of the movement against colonialism and in the creation of Odisha as a separate state. Both these movements envisioned egalitarian values. The founders of modern Odisha were from various communities. They believed that all people, irrespective of caste, religion, and class, would co-exist in Odisha. For instance proceeding of Utkal Union Conference noted “when the different classes of society were inspired with brotherly love and they were fused into one, they lost their specialty and the result was an amalgam, which like new metal could do anything which any other of its parts singly could not do, similarly in this assembly which comprised Maharajas and Rajas, Princes who were the descendants of proud Rajputs, who came here and settled centuries ago, Mohamedans and Bengalis, and the identified themselves in interest and everything else with the Uriyas and so these people had been fused into one nation, which was no longer a race(applause) their common mother Orissa was lying on her death bed (Amrit Bazar Patrika, Odisha State Archive).” This was the idea of the foundation of modern Odisha in 1936. All sections of people came together while recognising the importance of uniting Odisha under one administrative or political unit. The brotherhood was a pertinent aspect of it. Bhaichara, or what we call fraternity, is a great contribution of Cuttack in creating an associated living among people. Thus, it created a model, a principle, and a way of life. The founder of our nation and the state theorised the model and led the way forward, but Cuttack practised and lived this model for years.
However, recent political developments in the state are creating a hostile, violent, and poisonous environment, which was reflected in the recent Durga Puja procession. The memory and nostalgia that Odisha is a peaceful state, and Cuttack as a place of Bhaichara is now in question. This hostile atmosphere is not limited to Cuttack alone; this has already penetrated into different parts of Odisha and against all vulnerable communities. People of Odisha must not fall into such a trap of political and religious divide that wishes to destroy the peace and harmony. As citizens of a modern nation and the inhabitants of this historic city and the state, we must strive to uphold our syncritic tradition and mutual respect for each other, while remaining vigilant to check the element that wants to bring violence, chaos, and corruption in society.
The preamble of the Indian Constitution gives primacy to the idea of liberty, equality, and fraternity. These principles are essential in creating an associated life among various communities. Fraternity or Bhaichara in the context can be used as an example in our hyperpolarised world to minimise the religious dividends that create social hostility, political fragmentations all over India. Bhaichara can be interpreted as fraternal love. It is a mode of living where Hindu, Muslims, and Christians lives side by side, participating in each other’s celebrations, festivals with love, joy, while carrying out respective occupations without the feeling of ill will and jealousy, and lending support to each other when necessary. This was the cohesive composite cultural atmosphere that was developed thanks to our freedom fighters and leaders who shaped the formation of modern Odisha. This was the philosophy and principle on which our founding fathers/mothers carried their movement and founded modern India. Mahatma Gandhi had a vision of a society where religious enmity must dissolve with non-violence and all communities must coexist peacefully. Babasaheb Ambedkar believed that the foundation of a nation must be based on fraternity and associated living. He said nationality means “consciousness of kind, awareness of the existence of that tie of kinship.” To foster a united nation, or state, we must treat our fellow citizens, no matter what caste, tribe, or religion they belong to, as our kith & kins. That will foster national feeling among all. Without those principles nation will be hollow in reality. We must remember that “we are Indians, firstly and lastly.”
(The memories recalled here are drawn from Sharbani Das’s personal diary).
Sharbani Das is a faculty member in the Department of Political Science, and Dr. Jitendra Suna is a faculty member in the Department of History at Rama Devi Women’s University, Bhubaneswar.
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