Paul Chirakkarode
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Paul Chirakkarode was a noted
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 ...
- and English-language novelist, short story writer, biographer, essayist, thinker, social critic, orator and human rights activist. It was through his
literary Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to ...
interventions that the miserable and subhuman life of the downtrodden people 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 ...
was exposed before the world of letters in an aesthetic manner. The author has been considered one of the pioneers of Dalit Literary Movement in India.


Personal life

Paul Chirakkarode was born on 4 September 1938 in Maramon, a small village situated on the banks of Pamba river, near
Thiruvalla Thiruvalla, alternately spelled Tiruvalla, is a town in Kerala and the Headquarters of the Taluk of the same name located in Pathanamthitta district in the State of Kerala, India. The town is spread over an area of . It lies on the banks of ...
in
Pathanamthitta Pathanamthitta (), is a municipality situated in the Central Travancore region in the state of Kerala, India, spread over an area of 23.50 km2. It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The town has a population of 37 ...
district of Kerala. He belonged to a Dalit Christian Family. His father Rev LT Daniel was well known among the natives of his village as a teacher, social worker and as a Christian Missionary. His mother was Elikutty. Paul Chirakkarode had his education at Maramon High School; St. Thomas College, Kozhancherry; SB College, Changanassery; Sacred Heart College, Thevara;
University College, Thiruvananthapuram University College, Thiruvananthapuram (UCT) is a constituent college of the University of Kerala, based primarily in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. The college was awarded 23rd rank by National Institutional Ran ...
; And Law College, Thiruvananthapuram. He took master's degree in English Literature, Malayalam Literature, Economics, Sociology, and in law. Paul Chirakkarode died in
Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...
(Trivandrum),
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 ...
, on 4 August 2008.


Literary life

Paul Chirakkarode started his literary life in 1955, at the age of seventeen, by publishing his first novel Alinju Theernna Athmav (Dissolved Soul)–a poetic novel of a romantic type. Then there was a stream of creative writings from his pen, including novels and short stories, such as Pravasam (Living in Exile), Aavaranam (The Covering), Sathyathinte Mugham (The face of Truth) etc. Pulayathara (The land of Pulayas). Among these novels, Pulayathara has been considered one of his masterpieces. In this the novelist traces the saga of Dalit Christians and their aspirations in a picturestique style. Paul's works came out even before the dawn of Dalit Literary Movement emerged in Maharashtra during the 1970s. Through his study on Bertrand Russell, Paul proved his creative talent as a biographer. This study collected a special award from the
Kerala Sahithya Academy The Kerala Sahitya Akademi or Academy for Malayalam literature is an autonomous body established to promote the Malayalam language and literature. It is situated in City of Thrissur, Kerala in India. History The academy was inaugurated on 15 ...
, in 1962. And the Government of Kerala selected it as the best book of the year. Besides the biography of
Bertrand Russell Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, (18 May 1872 – 2 February 1970) was a British mathematician, philosopher, logician, and public intellectual. He had a considerable influence on mathematics, logic, set theory, linguistics, ...
, Paul Chirakkarode wrote the biographies of
David Livingstone David Livingstone (; 19 March 1813 – 1 May 1873) was a Scottish physician, Congregationalist, and pioneer Christian missionary with the London Missionary Society, an explorer in Africa, and one of the most popular British heroes of t ...
and
Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Tagore (; bn, রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He resh ...
too. The critical studies of Paul include Ambedkar: Bhauthika Vikshobhanathinde Theejwala (Ambedkar: the flare of intellectual turbulence), Dalit Christians Keralathil (Dalits Christian in Kerala) and Dalit Sahithya Pathangal (Dalit literary studies 2 Vols.) His study on Ambedkar, is considered one of the best books ever written in such a manner in Malayalam on Babasaheb Ambedkar, the Architect of Indian Constitution, and his thoughts. Paul Chirakkarode's critical studies in English includes Dalits and the left; The Subalttern Emergence, and several essays. These works mainly analyze the Subhuman socio – economic conditions of the subaltern sections of the caste ridden Indian society. He was the founder editor of Padavukal, a news journal magazine published by the Department of Social Welfare,
Government of Kerala Government of Kerala is the subnational government of the Indian state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who selects all the other ministers. The chief minister and their most senior ministers belong to the supreme decision ...
, during 2001–2005. In the second phase of his writings, Paul Chirakkarode entered the zone of socio-literacy critical studies. Among these studies four works were published 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 ...
and two were in English. During this period he wrote around 56 novels and 2 biographies.


Works

*Mathil (The Wall), *Nizhal (The Shadow), *Oru Maidanam ; Kure vazhikal (A Play ground, Many Paths), *Aadimayum Yajmananum (The Slave and the Master), *Anuragam Anaswarmanu (Love is Immortal), *Dhughathinte Panapathram (Gobet of Sorrow), *Oru Kudumbam Parichunattu (A family transplanted), *Nanaja Bhoomi (The wet land-stories), *Irulil Alinja Velicham ( The light lost in the dark), *Kayam (The Chasm), Vellithira (The silver screen), *Ooshara Bhoomi (The Fterile Land), *Chathuppunilam (The Marshy Land), *Azhimugham (Estuary), *Vedhanakalude Thazhvara (The Valley of Sorrows), *Akshayapathram (The Vessel of Plenty), Bheerukkal (The Cowards), *Sooryakanthi (The Sun Flower), *Olichupokunna Mankoonakal (The Eroded Earthen Huts), *Angeyude Rajyam Varename (Let They Kingdom Come). Chilanthivala (The Spider's Web), *Ekanthathayude Dweep (The Island of loneliness), *Udatham (Loftiness), Nyayasanam (The Thorne of Justice), *Aa Velicham (That light), *Parudheesa (The Paradise), *Athum Sambhavichu (That too Happened), *Velichem (The light), *Puthiya Paarpidum (The New Dwelling Place), *Annathe Appam (The Daily Bread), Kurumba (Kurumba) etc.


Academic activities

Paul Chirakkarode served as faculty in various academic Institutions in India such as the United Theological College in Bangalore, Dalit Open University in
Andhara Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
, Gurukkal Theological College in
Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
, and Ambedkar Academy in New Delhi. Considering his lifetime contribution to literature and social studies, the Anglican Academy of Religious Studies, Philadelphia, honored him by awarding a doctoral degree in June 2006.


Human rights activities

As a human rights activist Paul Chirakkarode stood strongly along with the crusade of the downtrodden people in India and their socio-cultural revolts in modern times. He was one among the leaders of
Guruvayoor Guruvayur () is a municipal temple town in Thrissur District, of Kerala State in India. It is a suburban town of Thrissur city, located from Thrissur towards the north-west. It houses the Guruvayur Shri Krishna Temple. It is located at ...
Padhayathra conducted by Indian Dalit Federation demanding the abolition of separate and, discriminatory feedings systems existed in Guruvayoor temple under the chains of caste system. The much debated agitation was conducted by the Indian Dalit Federation, a Social Organization in 1983. In 1989, Paul Chirakkarode lead a tribal march from Sulthan Batheri to Trivandrum, demanding the
alienated land Alienated land is that which has been acquired from customary landowners by the government, either for its own use or for private development requiring a mortgage or other forms of guarantees. The term refers historically to the appropriation of cus ...
for the tribal people of Kerala. This agitation is considered as first emergence of tribal movement in Kerala for their alienated land. He was one among the leaders who took initiative in the formation of NAPM in associated with the noted environment activist Medha Patkar. He was also in the leadership of Indian Labour Party and Bahujana Samaj Party during its formation in Kerala.


References

1.Malayalam Sahithyakara Directory 2.Padavukal Magazines 2001–2005 editions 3.Vijnakairali Magazine 2008 August – September edition. 4.Pachakuthira Malayalam Magazine 2006 July–August edition 5.Malayalam Encyclopedia Published by the State Institute of Encyclopedia Publication. {{DEFAULTSORT:Chirakkarode, Paul Malayalam novelists 1938 births 2008 deaths English-language writers from India Social critics 20th-century Indian novelists Novelists from Kerala People from Thiruvalla Indian male novelists 20th-century Indian male writers