Bhubaneswar: The state government will set up an interpretation centre at Barpalli in Bargarh district on poet Gangadhar Meher.

The state-of-the-art centre shall have audio-visuals on the life of the poet popularly known as Swabhab Kabi. Artefacts relating to his life and his works shall be showcased in the centre. The tourism department will spend around Rs 45 lakh on it.

"It is very important to inform the younger generation and tourists about him. The centre will serve the purpose," said tourism minister Ashok Panda. Born in a poor weaver's family of Barpali in 1862, Meher was studied only up to Class V. The great poet of Odia literature passed away in 1924. He is remembered especially for the application of modern original ideas in to medieval-era literature.

His notable poetic creations include Indumatee (1894), Kichakabadha (1903), Kavita Kollola (1912), Utkalalaxmi (1914) Ayodhyadrushya (1914), Tapaswini (1914), Pranayaballari (1915), Arghyathali (1918), Krushaka Sangeeta (1921), Ahalyastaba, Mahima, Bhalari Bhawana, Kumar Janmutsaba, Bhakti Upahara, Padmini and Kavitamala. Apart from poetry, he has also created some prose literature, including his short autobiography.

"Meher was highly inclined towards the motherland and the mother language. His creativity was beyond comparison and imagination. His literary achievement should not only remain confined to the pages of the books, but should also spread among the common man in a better manner," added Panda.

Panda further added that more such centres would be set up across the state in the upcoming days on a number of legendary Odia figures.

In another development, Odisha Tourism has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Aditya Birla Group for managing the interpretation centre being set up at Khandagiri-Udayagiri. The centre will be called Eternal Gandhi Peace Centre and will propagate Jain ideologies.