Printing press came to Odisha in 1838 and publications of magazine and periodicals started in 1861. In 1891 a Kosali poem by poet Madhusudan appeared in Sambalpur Hiteishani edited by Pt Nilamani Bidyaratna and patronized Bamanda King Sir Basudev Sudhal Dev. This poem is considered as the first published Kosali poem. Like Madhusudan many authors have been found writing Kosali in the pre-independence era. Some significant names are; Jatan, Chaitan Das, Balaji Meher, Lakhman Pati, Ganga Prasad Panda, Moulana Mustakim Khan, Kapil Mahapatra, Parikshit Khandual, Dhaneswar Mahapatra, Mayadhar Seth, Sridhar Udgata, Bidhubhushan Guru, Indramani Sahu, Chintamani Sahu, Danei, Baidyanath, Nakphudi Panda, Satyanarayan Bohidar etc.
In the pre independence era, so many Odia Magazines like Jijnansu, Paarijaat, Patna Deepika, Sankha etc have published Kosali writings.
The early writings like ‘Bhulamana Chautisha by Jatan’, ‘Gundia Pasra’ by Balaji Meher, ‘Bhulia Pasra’, ‘Kanra Pasra’, ‘Teli Pasra’, ‘Munus Baran’, ‘Maheji Baran’ by Lakhman Pati and ‘Turi Pasra’ by ‘Moulana Mustakim Khan’ were written to sing and perform in Samparda. All these poems start with “sun sun re paaliaa bhaai”.
Jatan with his partner Ratan used to travel in Patna-Borasambar region and perform Kirtan while Balaji Meher, Lakhmana Pati and Moulana Mustakim Khan were cotemporary of noted Odia poet Gangadhar Meher. It may be noted that Gundia Pasra was recited by Balaji Meher in 1912 at Fraser Club Sambalpur to welcome Prince George Sixth while he was visiting Sambalpur.
Ganlia Ramayan written in between 1920 to 1930 by Kapil Mahapatra is considered as the first published Kosali book. Sri Mahapatra was the court poet of Sarangarh.
In 1942 Kosal Sahitya Sammilani was organized at Balangir and in the written poetry competition Parikshit Khandual won the Gold for the poem ‘Mor Ghar’.
Some more poems like Bhim Charit by Chaitanya Purohit, Bastar Haran by Dhaneswar Mahapatra, Bhakua by Mayadhar Seth, Chere Biha by Parshuram Jhara, Chadhei Chautisha by Chaitan Dash etc were written in pre independence era.
Saket Sreebhushan Sahu comments on Politics and Culture