Gangadhar Meher who is
popularly known as Swabhaba Kabiwas born in Barpali,in the district of Bargarh on
the 9thof August 1862.He started writing poems at a very young age. Rasa
Ratnakara being his first poem. Having had his education till 5th std, but his passion for reading and gaining knowledge and and further writing poems had nothing to do with his education.He also helped his father in weaving. His weaving was as intricate as his writing a poem.
He married when he was 10 yrs old. Though he had to discontinue his studies because of the poverty in which they lived. But his writings and poems were that of golden
verses.Apart from Odia he read extensively in Bengali and Sanskrit..
The then zamindar of Barpali offered him the position of an Amin known as Patwari then,later on he got promoted to Moharir and served in that post in Sambalpur, Bijepur and Padampur , and then later got transferred to Barpali .
His literatary
works has been a part in the Post graduation courses in the University Gangadhar Meher College/ University
Sambalpur has been named after him.
Notable Works of
Gangadhar Meher are as follows:
Rasa Ratnakara,
Tapaswini
Pranaya Ballari,
Kichaka Badha, Indumati
Padmini,
Ayodhya Drusya
From his poem “Tapaswini”
“Mangale Aila
Usha Bikacha Rajiba Drisha Janaki Darshana Trisha Hrudaye Bahi
Karapallebenihara Mukta dhari Upahara Sarinka basa bahara Prangae Rahi Kala
kantha Kanthe Kahila Darashana Dia Sati
Rati Pahila”