Malayalam novel

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The Malayalam novel is an important part of

Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the Indian state of Kerala and the Lakshadweep
islands.

Old novels

Fulmoni Ennum Koruna Ennum Peraya Randu Sthreekalude Katha (Phulmōni ennuṁ kōruṇa ennuṁ pērāya ranṭu strīkaḷuṭe katha), a translation of Rev. Joseph Peet

Malayalis
. However, it was not originally conceived in Malayalam but was a translation of The Slayer Slain (English, 1864–1866) by Mrs. (Frances) Richard Collins and Rev. Richard Collins. Pathminiyum Karunayum, another translation of Fulmoni O Korunar Biboron, came out in the year 1884 (author unknown). world-famous novels like Ameer Hamza, Gulsanober, etc. were also translated to Malayalam and published in Arabi-Malayalam script during the same era.

The first novel conceived and published in Malayalam was

Kalinga
.

Rajah Rama Varma's reign and subsequently to the accession of Marthanda Varma. The novel had a film adaptation of the same name
in 1933 and was the first Malayalam novel to be adapted into film.

The first Malayalam novel that dealt with the socially backward classes was Saraswathy Vijayam by Kunjambu in 1892. Kochuthomman (1892) written by Kocheeppan Tharakan was one of the earliest novels on Christian life in Kerala.

List of Malayalam-language novels before the 1900s

Title Author Year Make Other notes
Fulmoni Ennum Koruna Ennum Peraya Randu Sthreekalude Katha
(ഫുൽമോനി എന്നും കോരുണ എന്നും പേരായ രണ്ടു സ്ത്രീകളുടെ കഥ - Phulmōni ennuṁ kōruṇa ennuṁ pērāya ranṭu strīkaḷuṭe katha) 		Rev. Joseph Peet 1858 Translation First novel printed and released in Malayalam
First novel translated to Malayalam which was originally conceived in an Indian language
Translation of The History of Phulmani and Karuna (English, 1853) by Hana Catherine Mullens which is a translation of Fulmoni O Korunar Biboron (Bengali, 1852) by Hana Catherine Mullens
Ghathakawadham
(ഘാതകവധം - Ghātakavadhaṁ) 		Rev. Richard Collins[3] 1877 Translation First novel printed and published in Malayalam with a story based in Kerala and around Malayalees
First novel translated to Malayalam which was originally conceived in English
Translation of The Slayer Slain (English, 1864–1866) by Frances Richard Collins and Rev. Richard Collins
Pathminiyum Karunayum
(പത്മിനിയും കരുണയും - Patmiṉiyuṁ karuṇayuṁ) 		Anonymous Writer 1884 Translation First repeated translation of a novel to Malayalam
Translation of The History of Phulmani and Karuna (English, 1853) by Hana Catherine Mullens which is a translation of Fulmoni O Korunar Biboron (Bengali, 1852) by Hana Catherine Mullens
Kundalatha
(കുന്ദലത - Kundalata) 		Appu Nedungadi 1887 Original First novel conceived and published in Malayalam
First novel by a Malayalee Keralite
First novel from
Malabar

First Malayalam novel to have a story outside Kerala and without Malayali characters
Indulekha
(ഇന്ദുലേഖ - Indulēkha)
O. Chandhu Menon
 1889 Original First
Malabar, Kerala
Indumathee Swayamvaram
(ഇന്ദുമതീസ്വയംവരം - Indumatīsvayaṁvaraṁ) 		Padinjare Kovilakathu Ammaman Raja 1890 Original
Meenakshi
(മീനാക്ഷി - Mīṉākṣi) 		C. Chathu Nair 1890 Original
Marthandavarma
(മാർത്താണ്ഡവർമ്മ - Māṟttāṇḍavaṟmma) 		C. V. Raman Pillai 1891 Original First Historical novel in Malayalam, Kerala and South India
First novel from
film adaptation
Saraswatheevijayam
(സരസ്വതീവിജയം - Sarasvatīvijayaṁ) 		Potheri Kunjanbu 1892 Original
Parishkarapathi
(പരിഷ്ക്കാരപ്പാതി - Pariṣkārappāti) 		Kochuthomman Appothikari 1892 Original
Parangodee Parinayam
(പറങ്ങോടീപരിണയം - Paṟaṅṅōṭīpariṇayaṁ) 		Kizhakepattu Raman Menon 1892 Original First satirical novel in Malayalam
Sarada
(ശാരദ - Śārada)
O. Chandumenon
 1892 Original First novel foretold to have sequels in a trilogy
Lakshmeekeshavam
(ലക്ഷ്മീകേശവം - Lakṣmīkēśavaṁ) 		Komattil Padu Menon 1892 Original
Naluperiloruthan
(നാലുപേരിലൊരുത്തൻ - Nālupēriloruttan) 		C. Anthapayi 1893 Original
Chandrahasan
(ചന്ദ്രഹാസൻ - Candrahāsan) 		P. Krishnan Menon
T. K. Krishnan Menon
C. Govindan Eledam 		1893 Translation
Akbar
(അക്ബർ - Akbaṟ) 		Kerala Varma Valiya Koi Thampuran 1894 Translation First Historical novel translated to Malayalam
Translation of Akbar (English, 1879) which is a translation of Akbar (Dutch, 1872) by Dr. P. A. S. van Limburg Brouwer
Kalyani
(കല്യാണി - Kalyāṇi) 		Anonymous Writer 1896 Original Published in Vidyāvinodini periodical
Sukumari
(സുകുമാരി - Sukumāri) 		Joseph Mooliyil 1897 Original
Saguna
(സഗുണ - Saguṇa) 		Joseph Mooliyil 1898-1899 Translation Translation of Saguna (English, 1896) by Kirubai Sathyanathan Ammal
Kamala
(കമല - Kamala) 		C. Krishnan Nair 1899 Translation Translation of Kamala (English, 1896) by Kirubai Sathyanathan Ammal

Early 20th century

During early 20th century, Malayalam received outstanding novels, either as translations or adaptations of Western literature. Important among them include Kerala Varma Valiya Koi Thampuran's Akbar (translation of Van Linberg Broaver's Dutch novel of the same title, 1894), independent translations of

Nalappat Narayana Menon, was a milestone in the history of Malayalam literature and it set off a social reformation of sorts in Kerala. Despite being a translation, it gifted Malayalam a new prose style. Literary critic M. Leelavathy notes: "The translation was an extraordinary phenomenon as it prepared the ground for the Communist movement to take roots in Kerala. With its philosophy of human equality, the heart-wrenching tale of the oppressed left a profound impact in our society. For E.M.S. Namboodiripad, this was Nalapatan's best work. Its influence was both sociological and philological."[4]

More than translations, what influenced Malayalam novels of this era was the works of C. V. Raman Pillai and Chandhu Menon. This era saw many pioneering works in Malayalam literature. Important social novels of the period include Virutan Sanku by Karat Achutha Menon (1912) and Balikasadanam by Kocheeppan Tharakan. Appan Thampuran's Bhuta Rayar (1923) along with six novels by

Sardar K. M. Panicker
, four based on Kerala history and two based on Indian history, were the significant historical novels of the time. There also have been some attempts to write detective novels, most of them deriving inspirations from popular fictitious detectives in English. The first was that of Appan Thampuran, whose Bhaskara Menon was published as early as 1905. Another novel of the detective genre, Kaalante Kolayara, was written by O. M. Cheriyan in 1918. The first political novels were written by K. Narayana Kurikkal—Parappuram (three parts, 1908) and Udayabhanu (four parts, 1905). The late forties was the time of Progressive literature in Kerala which gained momentum after India's independence in 1947.

Post-independence period

The post-independence period saw a fresh start in the history of longer fiction in Malayalam as in many other Indian languages, parallel to the evolution of post-world war fiction in other parts of the world. It was both a break and a continuation.

P. Kesava Dev, who was a Communist in the thirties and forties turned away from diehard ideologies and wrote a symbolic novel called Arku Vendi? (For Whose Sake?) in 1950, challenging the philosophy of Stalinist liquidation of political enemies. It had a special significance in the context of the 'Calcutta thesis'. After portraying the class struggle of farm labourers in Randidangazhi (Two Measures) in 1949, Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai turned away from party politics and produced a moving romance in Chemmeen (Shrimps) in 1956. For S. K. Pottekkatt and Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, who had not dabbled in politics, the continuity is marked in the former's Vishakanyaka (Poison Maid, 1948) and the latter's Ntuppuppakkoranendarnnu (My Grandpa had an Elephant, 1951). The non-political social or domestic novel was championed by P. C. Kuttikrishnan (Uroob) with his Ummachu (1955) and Sundarikalum Sundaranmarum
(Men and Women of Charm, 1958).

In 1957 Basheer’s Pathummayude Aadu (Pathumma’s Goat) brought in a new kind of prose tale, which perhaps only Basheer could handle with dexterity. The fifties thus mark the evolution of a new kind of fiction, which had its impact on the short stories as well. This was the auspicious moment for the entry of M. T. Vasudevan Nair and T. Padmanabhan upon the scene. It was recognised that politics often reduced the larger concerns of life to mere ideological issues, while the life of the individuals constituting the entire population has many other interests and perspectives. Any reductive over-simplification of life results in the emaciation of literature. The trend away from social realism interpreted in a narrow sense led to the growth of the Malayalam novel in the post-independence era. With the phenomenal success of Chemmeen as a novel and as a film made Thakazhi turn to write on a larger canvas the inclusive accounts of the people around him. The mature works of Pottekkatt, Basheer, Dev, Thakazhi and Uroob make the third quarter of the 20th century one of the brightest periods of the novel in Malayalam. Pottekkatt's Oru Theruvinte Katha (The Tale of a Street) and Oru Desathinte Katha (The Tale of a Locale) gave the author ample canvas to narrate the stories of a number of individuals and groups. The day-to-day lives of this common humanity is the stuff of great fiction and Pottekkatt got the Jnanpith Award for his magnum opus Oru Desathinte Katha. Thakazhi took up the portrayal of generations of families in Ouseppinte Makkal (Children of Ouseph) and extended it further to write a brihad akhyayika or grand narrative covering the lives of hundreds of characters and dozens of families and several generations. He was writing an entire era and entire region in his magnum opus Kayar (Coir), which procured him the Jnanpith Award. Pottekkatt was perhaps the first to experiment with the writing of an entire region; Thakazhi added the historical dimension by bringing in centuries and generations. In Kayar the life of a whole community in the village complex of Kuttanad covering two centuries and a half, beginning with the land settlement and ending with the land legislation under the first Communist government in Kerala, is narrated. The central concern of the novel is the relation between man and the earth he cultivates. Already Uroob had developed the concept of an extensive canvas in Sundarikalum Sundaranmarum.

The grand narrative found its rightful place in Malayalam fiction during the period after independence. Kesava Dev, in Ayalkar (Neighbours), used the large-framed novel to recount the intricate relationships between different castes and communities. The

K. Surendran
(1922-97) authored several popular novels like Thaalam (Rhythm), Maya and Kattukurangu (Wild Monkey).

The post-independence novel has been enriched by the contribution of writers living outside Kerala. The pravasi novel has added a fresh chapter, bringing in new landscapes and new characters. The nagara

Kesavante Vilapangal (The Lamentations of Kesavan). He had also written a critique of modernism much earlier, called Enthanu Aadhunikata? (What is Modernism?). But he has apparently moved on from that position. N. P. Mohammed (1928-2003) too tried his hand at political allegory in Hiranyakasipu high-lighting the horrors of totalitarianism
, but moved on to the social novel as in Ennappaadam (Oilfield) and Maram (Tree), which are very sensitive portrayals of the life of the Muslim community, different in style from that of Vaikom Muhammad Basheer. The novel is perhaps the best-seller in the consumerist book market today, and hence there are a large number of writers catering to that trend.

Valluvanad region and the transformations undergone by them in the course of the century, involving relics of the tarawad and the communal tensions provide a challenging theme for the highly evocative style of Vasudevan Nair’s narrative art. The novels of V. K. N. (Narayanankutty Nair, 1932-2004) belong to the small subgenre of satirical fiction, not largely explored after C. V. Raman Pillai’s Premamritam. His Pitamahan and General Chathans take us to the rarefied world of spoofs, giving us occasions for guffaws of laughter. Malayattoor Ramakrishnan (1927-97) wrote Verukal (Roots), depicting the story of his family or community, but he also fictionalised his experience as a senior civil servant in Yanthram (The Machine). Something of the latter kind we find in Chuvappunada (The Red Tape) by E. Vasu (b. 1939), exposing and denouncing the stranglehold of officialdom in the life of the average citizen. C. Radhakrishnan (b. 1939) is a prolific writer of both novels and short stories, with a wide variety of themes and experimental in the narrative mode. Narayan (b. 1939), perhaps a late entrant in the field, came up with his own account of tribal life, otherwise not adequately presented in Malayalam fiction. His short stories as well as his novelettes like Kocharethi
have their own special narrative mode and flavour.

Punathil Kunhabdulla (b. 1940) is rightly famous as the author of popular novels like Smarakasilakal (Memorial Stones) and Marunnu (Medicine). Madampu Kunjukuttan (1941–2021) authored a few very powerful novels, including Ashwathamavu and Bhrashtu (Ostracism). Among the younger generation of novelists born after independence, there are many who have proved their mettle and may yet spring surprises in the years to come. N. S. Madhavan
(b. 1948), in his short stories as well as his novels, chooses unfamiliar themes or unfamiliar treatment, as may be seen in Choolaimettile Savangal (The Corpses of Chulaimedu) and Higuita. U. K. Kumaran (b. 1950) is indefatigable in his search for new themes and plots. C. V. Balakrishnan (b. 1952) is the author of Ayussinte Pustakam and T. V. Kochubawa (1955-99) that of Vriddhasadanam (Old Age Home), both eager to explore new areas of experience. Akbar Kakkattil (b. 1954) keeps widening his canvas from time to time. Shihabuddin Poythumkadavu (b. 1963) is a rising novelist and short story writer. Young novelists today are deeply interested in experimentation both in theme and technique, taking long strides in the post modern direction.

Twenty-first-century Malayalam littérateurs include

Manushyanu Oru Amukham), Khadija Mumtaz (Barsa), Susmesh Chandroth (Paper Lodge) V. J. James (Nireeswaran) and Sajil Sreedhar
(Vasavadatha)

References

  1. ^ "Seminar in memory of Appu Nedungadi"
  2. ^ "Voice of rebellion"
  3. ^ Journal of Kerala Studies , Volume 9. Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India: Kerala University. 1982. p. 159.
  4. ^ "How Paavangal enriched Kerala…"

Further reading

English
Malayalam

External links

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