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A sketch of the late Rev Purushotham Chowdhary The late Rev Purushotham Chowdhary who was a minister of the gospel for 55 years both in Andhra Desa and Orissa, was born in 1803. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, in Madanapur of Parlakimidi taluk, Ganjam. His ancestors migrated there from Midnapore district of West Bengal and some worked as Court Poets, Revenue Officers or Mirasidars of Tembur muta under the then Rajah's of Parlakimidi. They belonged to the gotra Bhardwaja, Angeerasa, and Barhaspatya of Hindu Rishis of Gowda1 Brahman sect, known as Sistas or orthodox people. Purushotham Chowdhary was a poet in Andhra language and was conversant with Oriya, Bengali, Hindustani. Very early in life he studied Vedanta literature2, denounced caste system and decided to become a naked sadhu (Avadhoota). But God wanted him for the furtherance of His kingdom. In 1825 he found a Christian tract probably one from Carey's press at Serampore (Sri Rama Puram) and made a persistent search after that religion. Mrs Helen Knott of Srikakulam Regiment, gave him a copy of the gospel of St Luke when he visited her in 1833. He found Christ more fully thereby and was introduced to Major Brett, the Commanding Officer at Vishakhapatnam, the same month. He gave Purushotham a copy of the New Testament, which he read with great pleasure, and against the wishes of his relatives he decided to become a Christian. His wife Radha Mani Devi Chaudharani gave her consent to follow him after some time. In those early days, there were no Missionaries between Madras and Cuttack. On the invitation of Rev Charles Lacey of Cuttack Orissa Baptist Mission Purushotham Chowdhary decided to travel the 300-miles and removed his sacred thread on the 10th June 1833 and gave it to Major Brett. He travelled about 20 days and reached Cuttack and was
baptized by Rev Charles Lacey on the 6th October 1833, in the big tank called Gonga Mondir in Cuttack. He composed here his first Telugu hymn. After staying there for some time, he went back to Vishakhapatnam, preaching the gospel at Puri and other Oriya centres, along the grand trunk road. He was met with bitter persecution while preaching the gospel and bore patiently. In 1834 he went to Madras, 500 miles with Major Brett, and preached the gospel there amidst great persecution. He also travelled from there to Bellary over 400 miles and was there for some time with Rev John Reid of London Missionary Society (LMS). Towards the end of that year, he travelled over land from Bellary to Parlakimidi, nearly 1000 miles, preaching the gospel in all the towns and villages on the roadside, which were not then visited by any Christian Missionary or Preacher. On his return, he was the guest of Captain Richard for eight months at Vishakhapatnam. In 1835, when Rev J. W. Gordon of LMS came there as Missionary, he helped him in preaching the gospel. His relatives treated him badly, but he was firm in faith. In 1836 his wife and little daughter Shanti Kumari Chowdhary (who afterwards became the wife of the late Ghonoshyam of Cuttack), followed him to Cuttack, where Mrs. Chowdhary was baptized on 3rd April 1836, by Rev A. Sutton. Babu Purushotham Chowdhary was ordained on 24th April 1836 in Cuttack and was sent to Berhampur to start missionary work there. In 1836, he was invited by Justice E. Story of Srikakulam, to start missionary work there. And while he was working there accordingly, Rev S. S. Day of the American Baptist Mission arrived, to whom Purushotham was the first assistant. He returned to Berhampur in 1837 and worked there for 7 years and worked there with Rev. Isaac Stubbins. He had a grevious temptation there but overcame it. He then composed hymns and poetry with great contrition of heart. He was invited back to Andhra Pradesh where he lived from 1845 to 1870. His Children were employed and married at Cuttack.
Rev Purushotham Chowdhary travelled thousands of miles during those 27 years up to the end of Godavari district and preached the gospel. Many became believers of Christian faith in those years and he wrote several hymns and poetical works in Andhra language by which he had been known as the "Immortal Purushotham Chowdhary" and a memorial hall was built at Parlakimidi to perpetuate his memory. He was Pastor of Orissa Baptist churches both at Berhampur and Cuttack, and his sermons in Oriya and Telugu as well as the earliest tracts and the new Testament he was given 100 years ago, have been still preserved. He travelled long distances in Orissa also, as he had several relatives all over there. He was called to rest on the 24th August 1890 at Cuttack. A complete life of the poet is being prepared in English also. New Orissa 16-12-34 1. Bengali. 2. Sacred Hindu Religious literature found at the end of each of the four Vedas, otherwise known as Upanishads.