Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran

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Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran Changanassery Lakshmipuram Palace

Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran

Malayalam: കേരളവർമ്മ വലിയ കോയിത്തമ്പുരാൻ; 19 February 1845 – 22 September 1914) also spelt Kerala Varma Valiya Koilthampuran and known as Kerala Varma, was a Malayalam - language poet and translator who had an equal facility in writing in English and Sanskrit from the Indian state of Kerala.[1] He was a prince of Parappanad, and consort to the Senior Rani of Attingal and Maharani of Travancore, Bharani Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi, intended to father future sovereigns of Travancore, although the couple was childless, necessitating the adoption of Lakshmi Bayi's grand-nieces. Kerala Varma is also known as the Kalidasa of Kerala, and was both brother-in-law and cousin to painter Raja Ravi Varma, also a prince of Parappanad, though from the Kilimanoor branch, whom he presented with his first oil paints.[2] A third Parappanad prince, his grammarian nephew A. R. Raja Raja Varma
, is known as the Panini of Kerala.

Kerala Varma has been called "a colossal Renaissance figure in 19th century Kerala" and "perhaps the first of the major [Malayalam language] writers who consciously and deliberately began to absorb and celebrate the Western influence" on his native literature. He advocated resuscitation of Malayalam literature by absorbing selected Western influences combined with native Sanskritic elements in poetry, drama and prose.[1]

Life

He was born in

Malabar and sought refuge in Travancore during the invasion of Tipu Sultan towards the end of the 18th century. After peace was restored, however, the Parappanad Royal family agreed to accept a pension from the British government and also from that of Travancore, in which several branches would remain, from among which future princes consort of the seniormost two females in the Travancore royal family, Senior and Junior Rani of Attingal
, each a Maharani of Travancore, were drawn.

Although the Koil Thampuran was born at Changanacherry, his family subsequently moved to

A. R. Rajaraja Varma, another great scholar, called as 'Kerala Panini'. On the way of return, he stayed at Ananthapuram Palace, Haripad. The next day, while going to Thiruvananthapuram
, his car got crashed, and he succumbed to his injuries two days later.

People from various spheres mourned his death. He was cremated with full state honours at his home in Changanassery.

Literary works

Kerala Varma was in close touch with literary movements in both northern and southern parts of Kerala, including Bhashaposhini Sabha and magazines such as

Vidya Vinodini and Malayala Manorama.[1]

His work Abhijnana Sakunthalam(1898), a translation of Kalidasa's Sakunthalam, is one of the most acclaimed works of poetry in Malayalam from that period. It influenced a number of other translations of Sanskrit classics into Malayalam and was a success on the stage. The subsequent spate of translations from English and Sanskrit into Malayalam was an important feature of Malayalam literature in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.[1]

He has also written Mayoorasandesham (also spelt Mayura Sandesam; 1894

Trivandrum. His celebrated work Visakhavijaya was written after his release by Visakham Thirunal
.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Paniker, Ayyappa, "Modern Malayalam Literature" chapter in George, K. M., editor, ' 'Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology' ', pp 231, 236 published by Sahitya Akademi, 1992, retrieved 10 January 2009
  2. ^ Sreedhara Menon, A. Cultural Heritage of Kerala. p. 199.
  3. ^ Pillai, Manu S, ed. (2013), "Valiya Koil Thampuran", The Ivory Throne: Chronicles of the House of Travancore, Harper Collins, p. 67
  • Travancore State Manual by Velu Pillai
  • Visakhavijaya- A Study by Poovattoor Ramakrishna Pillai
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