Balaram Das (c. 1472–1550), one of the five revered Panchasakha poets of Odisha, made a landmark contribution by translating the Ramayana into simple Odia as Dandi Ramayana (also known as Jagamohana Ramayana). By rendering the epic in the language of the common people, he made the story of Lord Rama accessible to ordinary villagers and non-Sanskrit readers. His work played a major role in popularising Bhakti and enriching Odia literature and culture during the medieval period.