Kottarathil Sankunni
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Kottarathil Sankunni (born Vasudevan, 1855–1937) was an Indian writer of
Malayalam literature Malayalam, the lingua franca of the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puduchery, is one of the six Classical languages of India. Malayalam literature comprises those literary texts written in Malayalam, a Sou ...
. Best known as the author of
Aithihyamala Aithihyamala or Ithihyamala ( ml, ഐതിഹ്യമാല) (''Garland of Legends'') is a collection of century-old stories from Kerala that cover a vast spectrum of life, famous persons and events. It is a collection of legends numbering over ...
, an eight-volume compilation of century-old legends about
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
, Sankunni's writings cover prose and poetry, including verses for
Kathakali Kathakali ( ml, കഥകളി) is a major form of classical Indian dance. It is a "story play" genre of art, but one distinguished by the elaborately colourful make-up and costumes of the traditional male actor-dancers. It is native to the M ...
and
Ottan Thullal Ottan Thullal (or ''Ottamthullal'', Malayalam: ഓട്ടൻ തുള്ളൽ) is a recite-and-dance art-form of Kerala, India. It was introduced in the eighteenth century by Kunchan Nambiar, one of the Malayalam triumvirate poets, Prachina K ...
. He was one of the founding members of ''Bhashaposhini Sabha'' founded by Kandathil Varghese Mappillai and was also involved with ''Bharata Vilasam Sabha'', another literary initiative. He died on July 22, 1937.


Biography

Kottarathil Sankunni was born on March 23, 1855 at Kodimatha, in
Kottayam district Kottayam (), is one of 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala. Kottayam district comprises six municipal towns: Kottayam, Changanassery, Pala, Erattupetta, Ettumanoor, and Vaikom. It is the only district in Kerala that neither borders the ...
of the south Indian state of
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
(erstwhile
Travancore The Kingdom of Travancore ( /ˈtrævənkɔːr/), also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor, was an Indian kingdom from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvananthapuram. At ...
) to Vasudevan Unni-Nangayya couple. The boy, whose name at birth was Vasudevan but was called ''Thanku'', ''Sanku'' and later ''Sankunni'', did his early schooling under the tutelage of a local teacher and later, studied Sanskrit under Manarkattu Sanku Warrier and traditional medicine under Vayskara Aryan Narayanan Mooss. He joined
Malayala Manorama ''Malayala Manorama'' is a morning newspaper in Malayalam published from Kottayam, Kerala, India by the Malayala Manorama Company Limited. Currently headed by Mammen Mathew; it was first published as a weekly on 22 March 1888, and currently has ...
in 1890 as the editor of their poetry section during which time he tutored a few Britishers the language of Malayalam. In 1893, he was selected as a Malayalam teacher at M. C. High School. Sankunni married for the first time in 1881 but after the death of his first wife, married Evoor Panaveliveettil Sreedevi Amma in 1887. he married twice more, the brides were Panaveli Lakshmy Amma and Pengali Thekkethu Devaki Amma. He died on 22 July 1937, at the age of 82.


Legacy

Sankunni's contributions cover both prose and poetry, including
Kathakali Kathakali ( ml, കഥകളി) is a major form of classical Indian dance. It is a "story play" genre of art, but one distinguished by the elaborately colourful make-up and costumes of the traditional male actor-dancers. It is native to the M ...
literature, Thullal, kilipattu, ''vanchipattu'' and other genres of literature. His works include: * ''Aithihyamala'', a collection of legendary stories including those about ''
Kadamattathu Kathanar Kadamattathu Kathanar ( a Syrian Orthodox Church priest of Kadamattom church) also known as Kadamattathachan (Father Kadamattom) was a priest ( Kathanar) who is believed to have possessed supernatural powers and whose legends are closely related ...
'', ''
Kayamkulam Kochunni Kayamkulam Kochunni (born 1818) was a heroic outlaw from Kayamkulam, who lived during the late 19th century. He was active in the Travancore area in the present-day Kerala, India. He is said to have stolen from the rich and given to the poor. Le ...
'', '' Parayi petta panthirukulam'' and others. * ''Sreerama pattabhishekam'' (Kathakali) * ''Adhdhyathmaramayanam'' (Translation) He was also involved with two literary initiatives, the ''Bhashaposhini Sabha'' founded by Kandathil Varghese Mappillai and the ''Bharata Vilasam Sabha'', an organization where most of the literary figures of that period were members.


Aithihyamala

Sankunni started compiling the legends of Kerala in 1909 and it took over a quarter to a century for him to complete the work. ''
Aithihyamala Aithihyamala or Ithihyamala ( ml, ഐതിഹ്യമാല) (''Garland of Legends'') is a collection of century-old stories from Kerala that cover a vast spectrum of life, famous persons and events. It is a collection of legends numbering over ...
'' (''Garland of Legends''), once completed was an eight-volume compilation of legends and old stories, popular in Kerala over the centuries. The work comprises eight volumes, containing 126 chapters. It was first serialised in Bhashaposhini literary magazine. Later, it was published by the Reddiar Press in Quilon, in the early twentieth century. ''Kottarathil Sankunni Memorial Committee'' entrusted National Book Stall to reprint the work in 1974 and in 1991,
D. C. Books DC Books is a publisher in Kerala publisher of books in Malayalam, and one of the publishers in India . It also operates one of the largest book store chains in India, with a network of over 45 bookshops under the DC Books and Current Books b ...
published it in a new format. The book is known to have sold over 150,000 copies until 2004.


Bibliography


Selected works

* * * * * * *


Translations into English

* * *


References


External links

* * {{Authority control 1855 births 1937 deaths Writers from Kottayam Malayali people Malayalam-language writers Indian male poets 19th-century Indian poets 20th-century Indian poets Poets from Kerala 19th-century Indian male writers 20th-century Indian male writers