Upendra Bhanja

Kabi Samrāṭa Upendra Bhanja Bīrabara
Modern painting of 'Kabi Samrat' Upendra Bhanja
Native name	ଉପେନ୍ଦ୍ର ଭଞ୍ଜ
Occupation	King & Poet
Language	Odia
Nationality	Indian
Period	Riti juga or Bhanja juga
Notable works	Baidehisha Bilasa

Kabi Samrata Upendra Bhanja (Odia: ) (born during 1670 (opinions differ between 1670 and 1688) at Kullada, Ghumusara a princely state in'Bhanjanagar', near Berhampur city in South Odisha and died during 1740 (again opinions differ)) was considered as the greatest poet of Odia Literature and was awarded the title "Kabi-Samrata" (also given as Kabi) – "The Emperor of Poets". Born in a royal family, Upendra Bhanja had never eyed for throne.

His first wife was the sister of the king of Nayagarh and the daughter of the king of Banapur was his second wife, who was an erudite princess and gave Upendra Bhanja poetical inspiration in an abundant measure. His grandfather King Dhananjaya Bhanja was a great poet and wrote Raghunatha Bilasa (The Ramayana), Ratna Manjari (a poetical romance) etc., which provided models to the prince for writing. But unlike his grandfather, he preferred his entire life to poetry rather than to ruling over a kingdom. He had a thorough training in Sanskrit classical literature and mastered Sanskrit dictionaries such as Amar-Kosha, Trikanda Kosha and Medini-Kosha. He even wrote a dictionary Geetabhidhana in Odia for helping poets. The town of Bhanjanagar near Silk City Berhampur is named after him.

Upendra Bhanja wrote some 52 books of which only 22 are available now. Due to the absence of a printing press, many of the hand-copied books have been lost. Some of his eminent Kavyas are Baidehisha Bilasa (with "Ba" initial for each line), Rasalila, Brajaleela, Subhadra Parinaya(with "Sa" initial for every line), Labanyabati, Premasudhanidhi, Rasika Harabali, Subhadra Parinaya and Chitrakabya Bandodhya, Labanyabati, Koti Brahmanda Sundari, Kala Koutuka (with "Ka" initial for every line), Satisha Bilasa" (with initial 'Sa' initials every line), "Damayanti Bilasa" (with 'Da' initial each line) and "Padmabati Parinaya" (starts with 'Pa') etc.

The first published work of Upendra Bhanja is "Rasapanchaka". The first dictionary "Gita Abidhan" was written by Upendra Bhanja in Odia literature. Kabi Samrat was not the first title of Upendra Bhanja. He was rather entitled as "Bira Bara" as admitted by Upendra Bhanja in his kavyas such as Baidehisha Bilasa, Subhadra Parinaya, etc.

ବୀରବର ପଦ ଉପଇନ୍ଦ୍ର ମୋର ନାମ ।
ବାରେ ବାରେ ସେବାରେ ମନାଇଁ ସୀତାରାମ ।