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The
ancient Malayalam literature had three identical branches. They
are: (i) The Pacha-Malayalam stream or Sudha Malayalam (Indigenous
Stream); (ii) The Tamil stream, and (iii) the Sanskrit stream.
The first stream consisted of folk songs the period of which is
difficult to state.
Folk songs belonged to the earliest times are fall under the first
stream. Ramacharitham, Thirunizhalmala are the significant works
of the branch. Theeyattupattu, Bhadrakalipattu, Sasthampattu,and
Sarppampattu are the religious songs developed under the movement.
Onappatt, Krishippattu, Thiruvathirappattu, Vanchippattu are some
of them intended for social and cultural events. Vadakkanpattu
and Thekkenpattu are the history of brave and courageous heroes
of the past. Among Thekkenpattu, Ramakathappattu, written in mixed
Tamil language, has prominence.
Tamil,
Sanskrit Streams
In
the Tamil stream the most outstanding work is Ramacharitham written
in12th Century AD. The language was a mixture of Tamil and Malayalam.
After Ramacharitham, Kannassa Ramayanam was the notable work under
this stream. Also we have ‘Bhagavad Gita’ and ‘Bharatamala’
written by the Niranam poets (Kannassan group). The Tamil influence
in these work is mush less.The history of Sanskrit stream or Manipravala
Prasthanam in Malayalam literature began in the 12th century A.D.
The movement was originated consequent to the influence of Aryans
who migrated to Kerala in large scale during the 8th century A.D.
Sanskrit was their language. Gradually, the colloquial language
of Kerala got mixed with Sanskrit and formed a mellifluous literary
style resulting in the birth of Manipravala movement. Vysikathanthram,
Sandesha Poems, Chambus were the ancient forms of Manipravala literature.
It is believed that Vysikathanthram written in 13th century A.D.
was the first work among the branch. Unniachi Charitham, Unniyadi
Charitham, Ramayanam Chambu, Naishadham Chambu were the important
Chambus. Unnuneeli Sandesham, Koka Sandesham were the sandesha poems
written based on the famous Meghasandesha of Kalidas, the great
Sanskrit poet. Being a sringara kavya (poem of passion) Chandrotsavam
stood prominent among Manipravala works.
Ezhuthachan’s
contribution
Thunchath
Ramanujan Ezhuthachan is considered as the father of Malayalam literature.
He made a revolution through his Kilippattu. It was he who gave
an attractive form and shape to Malayalam language and made it suitable
to handle any subject. He reformed the vocabulary and shaped separate
Malayalam letters. He contributed the Manipravalam style to Malayalam
language by bringing together Malayalam and Sanskrit in a unique
form. He placed the whole society in the path of spiritual progress.
The
emergence of Bhakthi cult in India, also blossomed in Kerala. Ezhuthachan’s
Ramayana and Bhagavatha, written in kilippattu style, could be influenced
by the Bhakthi cult. Cherussery Namboodiri, who wrote Krishnagatha,
was another great poet who gave significant contributions to the
development of Malayalam literature under the influence of Bhakthi
cult. The poetics of the Pattu School find a confirmation in the
Krishnagatha. Poonthanam Namboodiri’s Jnanappana, Ramapurathu
Varrier’s Kuchelavrutham Vanchippattu are some of the similar
works that contributed substantially to the Malayalam literature.
Kathakali literature (Aattakadha Sahithyam) and Thullal literature
are the other two powerful literary branches developed in response
to the Bhakthi cult.The main development in the cultural field in
Kerala in the 17th century was the growth of a new visual art form,
Kathakali, which brought into being a new generation of poetry known
Attakkatha for Kathakali performance.
Venmani
school
The
19th century saw the blossoming of Malayalam literature. The third
quarter of the nineteenth century bore witness to the rise of a
new school known as Venmani school devoted to the observation of
life around them and the use of pure Malayalam. The major poets
of the Venmani School were Venmani Acchan Nambudiri (1817-1891),
Venmani Mahan Nambudiri (1844-1893), Poonthottam Acchan Nambudiri
(1821-1865), Poonthottam Mahan Nambudiri (1857-1896). The Kodungalloor
school was an offshoot of the Venmani School. The
influence of the West in the literature began with the arrival of
the Portuguese. In the year 1678 Hortus Malabaricus was printed
and it became the first printed book in Malayalam prose. In the
second half of the 18th century, Clement Patiri published the Samkshepa
Vedartham, the first printed book in Malayalam. In the year 1811,
Bible was printed and published in Malayalam from Mumbai (Bombay).
The first Malayalam-English dictionary was printed and published
in 1872 by Herman Gundert, the renowned German missionary and Malayalam
scholar, to whom Kerala is highly indebted and remembered for ever.
Modern
Malayalam literature
Poetry
Modern
Malayalam literature improved during the period of Kerala Varma
Valiya Koyi Thampuran (1845-1915). His works and the new style of
prose gained much popularity. It was he who translated the Sanskrit
drama Sakunthlam into Malayalam. His Mayoora Sandesam stands first
among the Malayalam poetry. 'Kerala Panini' A. R. Raja Raja Varma’s
popular poem, Malayala Vilasam, marks the beginning of the modern
era of Malayalam poetry, which gave birth to Mahakavya Prasthanam
(Great Poems). The first years of the 20th century witnessed growth
of mahakavyas.
Kodungallur
Kunhikuttan Thampuran, Kerala Varma, A.R.Rajaraja Varma
Ulloor,
Vallathol, Asan
The
golden era of Malayalam literature, especially Malayalam poetry,
revolves around the famous trinity of Asan, Ulloor and Vallathol.
Kumaran Asan is the poet who most clearly represent ed the poetic
revolution in the first quarter of the 20th century. He combined
the lyrical and the melancholy with the romantics. Ulloor was a
genius in the traditional classical poetry. Vallathol's training
was also in classicism but the spirit of resurgence was in his writings.
Among
those who were close to him in style are Nalappat Narayana Menon,
Kuttippurathu Kesavan Nair, K.M.Panikkar, G.Sankara Kurup, Pallathu
Raman, Bodheswaran, Vennikulam Gopala Kurup, P.Kunjiraman Nair,
Palai Narayanan Nair, M.P.Appan, Balamani Amma and many others.
Edappally Raghavan Pillai and Changapuzha Krishana Pillai brought
a new breath of life into the Malayalam poetry of the 1930's. Vyloppilli
Sreedhara Menon (1911-1985) is perhaps the last one who maintained
links with the style of Vallathol. Prominent
among modern poets are ONV Kurup, Sugathakumari, Vishnunarayanan
Namboodiri, Thirunalloor Karunakaran, Kavalam, Sachidanandan, Balachandran
Chullikkad, Kadammanitta, Madhusoodanan Nair, Yoosafali Kecheri
etc. Though critics are of opinion that the contemporary poetry
has lost the earlier vitality and diverse enthusiasm, it is energetic
and developing towards newer dimensions in the hands of contemporary
Malayalam poets.
Novels
The
last quarter of the 19th century saw the birth of the novel in Malayalam.
It has been pointed out that the novel arose in Kerala because of
European influence through English education. The socio-educational
conditions and external influence combined to produce and popularize
novels. The earliest Malayalam novel was Kundalatha written by T.
M. Appu Nedungadi, published in 1887. However, O.Chandu Menon wrote
the first ideal novel Indulekha. O.Chandu Menon and C.V.Raman Pillai
had established two lineages in the Malayalam novel. The historical
novels of C. V. Raman Pillai, Sardar K. M. Panikkar etc. accounted
the historical events of Kerala. Later, novel became popular when
it has broken the traditional style and became reflections of real
life by handling issues of common folk through the works of Thakazhi
Sivasankaran Pillai, P. Keshavdev, Vaikom Mohammed Basheer, S. K.
Pottekkat, P. C. KuttiKrishnan and many others. The current generation
of Malayalam Novelists includes many luminous talents.
Fiction
/ short story
When
English influenced the prose style, it led to the use of prose
for writing short stories. Instead of traditional style of story
telling a new western mode was emerged. The short story began
to develop by 1930's when a new generation of writers started
their writings. Karur Neelakanta Pillai, P.Kesava Dev, Ponkunnam
Varkey, Vaikom Muhammed Basheer, S.K.Pottakkat, Thakazhi Sivasankara
Pillai, P.C.Kutikrishnan, Lalithambika Antharjanam, K.Saraswathi
Amma, Vilasini (M.K.Menon), O.V.Vijayan were a few among them.
M.T.Vasudevan Nair, V.K.N., M. Mukundan, C. Radhakrishnan, Anand
are a few among prominent novelists of the modern generation.The
present generation has got a number of gifted talents like T.
Padmanabhan, Zachariah, N.S. Madhavan, Gracy, T.V. Kochubava,
K.B. Sreedevi, Valsala, Sara Thomas, B.M. Suhra, Geetha Hiranyan,
Rosemary, A.S. Priya, K.L.Mohanavarma, Punattil Kunhabdulla, Ashtamurthy,
K.P.Ramanunni, Mundur Krishnankutty, Asokan Charuvil,Vaisakhan,
Sathrughnen, Unnikrishnan Tiruvazhiyodu, Mundur Sethumadhavan,
Sethu and several others.
Prose,
Literary critisim, Satire etc.
Literary
criticism is one of non-fiction form of prose that emerged in
the 1930 and 1940s. Kesari Balakrishana Pillai (1889-1960), Joseph
Mundasseri (1901-1977) and Kuttikrishna Marar (1900-1973) were
the pioneers in the field. A large number of critics and essayists
had contributed to the growth of literary criticism in the forties
and fifties. Sooranad Kunjan Pillai, Kainikkara Kumara Pillai
A.D.Harisarma, S.Gupthan Nair, Prof. M.Krishnan Nair, M.Leelavathy,
K.P.Appan, are a few among them. P.K.Paremeswaran Nair, K.M.George,
K.Bhaskaran Nair, N.Krishna Pillai, and P.K.Balakrishanan were
eminent writers of biographical and critical studies. E.V.Krishna
Pillai (1895-1938) and M.R.Nair (Sanjayan - 1903-1944) were the
great masters of humour and satire. The most important autobiographies
in Malayalam are the ones written by P.K.Narayana Pillai (Smaranamandalam),
E.V.Krishna Pillai (Jeevithasmaranakal), K.M.Panikkar (Atmakatha),
K.P.Kesava Menon (Kazhinja Kalam), Mundasseri (Kozhinja Ilakal)
and C.Kesavan (Jeevithasamaram) Cherukad (Jeevithapatha). Among
the travelogues numerous volumes written by S.K.Pottekkat stood
first. Journalism is a flourishing field in the Malayalam literature.
Newspapers and weeklies are playing a vital role in the development
of literature. In Kerala there are more than 700 monthlies, 150
Fortnightlies, 175 weeklies and 200 dailies.
Jnanapeeth
laureates of Malayalam
G.Sankara
Kurup, S.K. (Sankaran Kutty)Pottakkat, Thakazhy Sivasankara Pillai,
M.T.Vasudevan Nair.
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