''Vidyavinodini'' or ''Vidya Vinodini'' (Malayalam: വിദ്യാവിനോദിനി) was a

Malayalam-language Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...

monthly

literary magazine A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry, and essays, along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letter ...

published from Trichur in the

Kingdom of Cochin The Kingdom of Cochin, named after its capital in the city of Kochi (Cochin), was a kingdom in the central part of present-day Kerala state. It commenced at the early part of the 12th century and continued to rule until 1949, when monarchy w ...

(now part of

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

). It started publication in November 1889 and ceased publication in March 1902.

History

Vidyavinodini Press was established in 1886 (Malayalam Era 1062). It was run by V. Sundarayyar and his son Viswanathayyar, the owners of V. Sundarayyar & Sons. They started the magazine in 1889 with C. P. Achutha Menon as the editor and Viswanathayyar as the manager. Initially, the magazine was printed in Kalpadrumam Press, Trichur, and later from 1900, in Vidyavinodini Press. The first issue of ''Vidyavinodini'' was published in November 1889. ''Vidya Vilasini'', the first magazine in Malayalam, had ceased publication around this time which helped ''Vidyavinodini'' to soon establish itself as a power in the land. ''Vidyavinodini'' was able to contribute to the literary, cultural, and scientific fields of Kerala for more than a decade. This magazine published 150 issues (twelve books and six issues) until it ceased publication in March 1902. The magazine had changed its name to ''Vidyavinodini Vakthavu'' in its final years. After the resignation of C. P. Achutha Menon in 1898,

Appu Nedungadi Appu Nedungadi (11 October 1863 6 November 1933) is the author of ''Kundalatha'', which was published in 1887, making it as the first novel published in Malayalam. He was the founder/editor of literary publications ''Kerala Pathrika'', ''Kerala ...

, T. K. Krishna Menon, and Palliyil Gopala Menon also served as the editors of ''Vidyavinodini''. ''Vidyavinodini'' was not just a literary magazine. Instead, the magazine covered history, culture, finance, agriculture and science. C. S. Gopala Panicker, who specialised in natural science, was the chief science reporter of ''Vidyavinodini''. The magazine, which was finally owned by Palliyil Gopala Menon, ceased operations in March 1902. The place of ''Vidyavinodini'' was filled up for a time by ''Rasika Ranjini'', a monthly that was owned and conducted by H. H. Rama Varma Appan Thampuran of

Cochin Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...

Trivia

Vasanavikriti "Vasanavikruti" is a short story written by Vengayil Kunhiraman Nayanar. It is considered by historians and literary experts as the first short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuse ...

", the first short story in

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...

, was published in c. February 1891 in the M.E. Kumbham 1066 edition of ''Vidyavinodini'' (Volume 2 Issue 3).

References

{{Malayalam journalism Defunct magazines published in India Malayalam-language magazines Magazines established in 1889 Magazines disestablished in 1902 Monthly magazines published in India