Report by Ashok Palit; Bhubaneswar: Great men leave behind their footprints for us to follow but other than observing their birth and death anniversaries, we do nothing to remember their work. The State observed the 100th death anniversary of Radhanath Roy, doyen of Odia  literature, on April, 2008. But many of us hardly know about the dilapidated condition of his house in Kedarpur near Soro, where Radhanath, popularly known as ‘Kabibara’ took birth and spent his life.

‘‘Besides the installation of a statue, donated by Radhanath Rath, former editor of vernacular daily Samaj, at his birth place, nothing tangible has been done for remembrance of the poet of national importance,. Radhanath was one of the doyens, who rescued the odia language from the clutches of linguistic zealots. He made his people proud by becoming the first architect of the renaissance of odia nationalism. ‘‘He was acclaimed as a poet of nature. However, the man who salvaged the pride of odia s and instilled in them the self-confidence to stand straight, has been sadly forgotten today,’’ claimed eminent poet Brajanath Rath.

Every year politicians, bureaucrats and administrative officers come to his birth place and pay him tributes. Besides assuring for development of the place, they make promises to declare it a place of national importance. ‘‘But all promises turn hollow,’’ added Rath. A memorial house made at Kabibar birth place  funded by Maha Meghabahan Auri Kharvel swain  the MPLAD fund, is lying vacant without any documents. A statue has also been left half constructed at Uttareswar Square in Soro.

‘‘After death of Girish Chandra Roy, the old house, furniture, instrument and other articles used by the poet are also on the verge of destruction. Though some of the books and articles have been preserved by a local library, neither the administration nor the government has taken any step for their preservation,’’ rued Laxminarayan Nayak, president Radhanath  Smruti Sansad ,
(Ashok Palit, Kedarpur (Kabibar Birth Place), 09861087497)