Unnikrishnan Puthur (20 July 1933 – 2 April 2014) was a Malayalam–language novelist and short story writer. Puthur wrote about 700 short stories and published 29 collections of short stories, 15 novels, a collection of poems and autobiographical writings, among others. He was awarded Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for the novel ''Balikkallu'' in 1968. He received the Odakkuzhal Award in the year 2010 for the book ''Anubhavangalude Ner Rekhakal''.

Death

He died on 2 April 2014 at Raja hospital in Chavakkad, a town near his hometown, aged 80. He had been undergoing treatment for age-related ailments for quite some time.

Writing

His novels and scores of short stories narrated the tales of ordinary men and women bound to the famous Guruvayur temple, unnoticed in the hustle and bustle of the pilgrim town visited by thousands from outside. It was his novels like ''Balikkallu'' and ''Anappaka'' that brought to light the plight of men and women destined to eke out a living by doing menial chores for the rich temples, as mahouts and charwomen. ''Nazhikamani'' records the rituals and life around Guruvayur temple, where he worked for 32 years. ''Balikkallu'' too emerged from this experience. ''Aattukattil'' documents the growth and break-up of the Nair ''

tharavad Tharavad () (തറവാട്), is the Malayalam word for the ancestral home of aristocratic families in Kerala, which usually served as the common house for the joint family system practiced in the state. The German linguist Hermann Gunder ...

'' (ancestral house) in the feudal era. ''Panchara Mavu Veenu, Bhagam, Ozhivudinam, Gopuravelicham, Eeeranmundum Nananja Kannukalum, Nakshatrakunju, Pavakkalyanam'', and ''Kadinjool Prasanam'' too are set in the matrilineal Nair milieu. Puthur writes about the complexities of life in a simple style. There are echoes of Kesavadev and Ponkunnam Varkey in his writings. Puthur's troubling remarks about Malayalam author Rajalakshmi in his memoirs written in '' Mathrubhumi Weekly'' had stirred a huge controversy in Kerala literary circles.

Bibliography

Novels

*''Rescue Shelter'' ( Trichur: Current Books, 1967) *''Balikkallu'' ( Kottayam: SPCS, 1968) *''Manasse Santhamakoo'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1968) *''Aattukattil'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1970) *''Aanappaka'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1976) *''Pavakkinavu'' (Kottayam: DC Books, 1976) *''Vidhi Chakram'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1978) *''Amrutamathanam'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1981) *''Indra Kalpana'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1982) *''Kuthira Vela'' (Kottayam: Current Books, 1985) *''Vadiya Chembakapookkal'' (Kottayam: Current Books, 1985) *''Marakkanum Porukkanum'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1989) *''Mrithyu Yathra'' ( Cochin: Poompatta, 1989) *''Nazhikamani'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1990) *''Athmaviboothi'' (Kottayam: Current Books, 2001) *''Jalasamadhi'' (Kottayam: DC Books, 2003)

Short story collections

*''Kettu Pinanja Jivita Bandham'' ( Palghat: Modern, 1956) *''Vedanakalum Swapnangalum'' ( Kottayam: SPCS, 1957) *''Premavum Vairupyavum'' ( Calicut: P. K. Brothers, 1960) *''Dylan Thomasinte Ganam'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1961) *''Nidra Viheenangalaya Rathrikal'' (Kottayam: Manorama, 1961) *''Snehadarangalode'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1962) *''Oru Devalayathinu Chuttum'' ( Trichur: Current Books, 1963) *''Sundari Cheryemma'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1964) *''Charamavaranam'' (Trichur: Current Books, 1965) *''Nakshatra Kunhu'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1966) *''Gopura Velicham'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1967) *''Akashavani'' (Kottayam: NBS, 1967) *''Echumoppol'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1968) *''Chathuppu Nilam'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1969) *''Nee Thannu Nee Thiricheduthu'' (Kottayam: NBS, 1969) *''Kuttasammatham'' (''The Confession'') (Kottayam: SPCS, 1970) *''Utsavam'' (Children's stories) *''Makante Bhagyam'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1972) *''Aswastatayude Chirakadi'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1974) *''Thiranjedutha Kathakal'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1975) *''Pallakkinte Saapam'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1977) *''Vicharana'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1980) *''Bhaga Pathram'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1980) *''Nashtapetta Ponnonam'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1986) *''Puthur Kathakal'' (Calicut: Mathrubhumi, 1987) *''Annadana Prabhu'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1991) *''Ellam Daivathinte Kayyil'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1991) *''Ente Nootonnu Kathakal'' (Calicut: Mathrubhumi, 1996) *''Kamsan'' (Kottayam: DC Books, 1996) *''Kazhchakalkappuram'' (Kottayam: DC Books, 1999) *''Dharmachakram'' (Kottayam: DC Books, 2002) *''Kalathinte Kali'' (Calicut: Mathrubhumi, 2003) *''Thallaviral'' (Calicut: Mathrubhumi, 2006) *''Anubhavangalude Ner Rekhakal'' (Trichur: Kerala Sahitya Akademi, 2009)

Others

* ''Kalpaka Poomazha'' ( Kottayam: SPCS, 1985, collection of 38 poems, with an introduction by Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon) * ''Guruvayurappante Kunnikurumala'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1981, spiritual literature) * ''Gajarajan Guruvayur Kesavan'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1989)

Notes

References

* ''The Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature'' by Amaresh Datta {{DEFAULTSORT:Puthur, Unnikrishnan Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Malayalam-language writers People from Thrissur district Malayalam novelists Malayalam short story writers 1933 births 2014 deaths Government Victoria College, Palakkad alumni Novelists from Kerala 20th-century Indian short story writers Indian male short story writers 20th-century Indian novelists 20th-century Indian male writers