Bhima Bhoi

Remembered for his mystical poetry, which was primarily in the Odia language, and his social reform efforts aimed at uplifting the marginalized sections of society.

• Dharma Name — Satya Mahima Dharma • Honorific Prefix — Santha Kabi • Native Name — ଭୀମ ଭୋଇ • Birthplace — Madhupur, Rairakhol, Odisha • Born — 1850 • Died — 1895 • Spouse — Annapurna • Place of death — Subarnapur, Odisha • Teacher — Guru Mahima Swami • Children — Labanyabati (daughter) Kapileshwar (son) • Notable Works — * Stuti Chintamani • Brahma Nirupana Gita • Srutinisedha Gita • Nirbeda Sadhana • Religion — Hinduism

Bhima Bhoi was born in Madhupur in Rairakhol in 1850, though various sources have cited different years as well as different places of birth. Bhima Bhoi's family belonged to the Kondh tribe. Bhoi's family was not well off and by most accounts, his early life was not happy. Despite losing eyesight in one eye to smallpox in his early childhood, Bhima Bhoi gained knowledge by listening to the recitation of religious texts from a nearby Bhagabata Tungi. Bhima Bhoi soon left his place of birth and reached the Rairakhol area and was employed as a servant by a farmer. He worked as a cattle caretaker and lived in a chawl near the farmer's cowshed as he was from an "untouchable" tribe.

Bhima Bhoi's language is characterized by its mysticism, musicality, and colloquial nature, which made it accessible to common folk. He departed from the use of Sanskritized Odia, adopting the vernacular language instead. His poetry exhibits influences from the Western Odia dialect, known as Sambalpuri. As a result, his poems have a "spoken sung" quality, which is typical of bhakti poetry. Bhima Bhoi's verses are rhythmic, lyrical, and feature internal and end rhyming patterns that contribute to the beauty of his poems. Bhima Bhoi's poetry was initially composed orally, sometimes spontaneously, and was later written down by scribes. This characteristic is shared with other bhakti poets and highlights the oral tradition of the movement. Bhima Bhoi was a popular poet, composer and singer. Humanity and liberation of the world based on the philosophy of Mahima Dharma were the central theme of his poetic creations. His assertion "mo jeevana pachhe narke padithau, jagata uddhara heu" (let my life rot in hell if necessary, but let the world be redeemed) showcases his dedication to the upliftment of the societally deprived while being a clear reflection of socio-economic conditions in the State, during his lifetime. Bhima Bhoi composed more than one hundred collections of poems, though only about twelve are available today. Efforts are ongoing to collect more texts by the poet. His important works include Brahma Nirupana Gita, Stuti Chintamani, Astaka Bihari Gita, Chautisa Madhu Chakra, and Bhajanamala. Two collections, Atha Bhajan and Bangala Atha Bhajan, are written in the Bengali language.

Stuti Chintamani is considered the most important poetical work of Bhima Bhoi. It consists of 100 chapters, each containing 20 two-line stanzas, totaling 4,000 lines. The poem is a set of prayers to Brahma, with the poet asking for redemption from the suffering and injustices that humanity experiences in the Kaliyuga. Bhima Bhoi emphasizes the importance of devotion (bhakti) over knowledge (gyana) in achieving salvation.

While scholars have studied the life and poetry of Bhima Bhoi, research chairs have recently been established at Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences - Deemed to be University (in April 2018) and Gangadhar Meher University in 2019, to research the impact of Bhima Bhoi's life and philosophy in Odisha. In honour of Bhima Bhoi, Bolangir Medical College is named Bhima Bhoi Medical College.