Unnikrishnan Puthur (20 July 1933 – 2 April 2014) was a Malayalam–language

novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living writing novels and other fiction, while others asp ...

and

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

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 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award is given each year, since 1958, by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi (Kerala Literary Academy), to Malayalam writers for their outstanding books of literary merit. The awards are given in various categories.

for the novel ''Balikkallu'' in 1968. He received the

Odakkuzhal Award ''Odakkuzhal'' is a 1975 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by P. N. Menon and produced by M. P. Navakumar. The film stars Sheela, Jose Prakash, P. J. Antony and Alummoodan in the lead roles. The film has musical score by M. K. Arjunan ...

in the year 2010 for the book ''Anubhavangalude Ner Rekhakal''.

Death

He died on 2 April 2014 at Raja hospital in

Chavakkad Chavakkad, formerly Chowghat, is a municipality in Thrissur district of Kerala state in India. It is a suburban town of Thrissur city. Chavakkad is noted for its beach and fishing. It lies on National Highway 66 is located about north of the ...

, 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 The Nair , also known as Nayar, are a group of Indian Hindu castes, described by anthropologist Kathleen Gough as "not a unitary group but a named category of castes". The Nair include several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom histo ...

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 P. Kesava Pillai (20 July 1904 – 1 July 1983), better known by his pen-name P. Kesavadev, was a novelist and social reformer of Kerala, India. He is remembered for his speeches, autobiographies, novels, dramas, short stories, and films. ''Oday ...

and

Ponkunnam Varkey Ponkunnam Varkey ( ml, പൊൻകുന്നം വർക്കി; 1 July 1910 – 2 July 2004) was a writer and activist from Kerala, India. Varkey was one of the pioneers of the progressive writers' forum and literary writers' co-operative ...

in his writings. Puthur's troubling remarks about Malayalam author

Rajalakshmi Thakkathu Amayankottu Rajalakshmi (June 2, 1930 – January 18, 1965), better identified as Rajalakshmi, was an Indian novelist, short story writer and poet of Malayalam literature. She was the author of three novels, two poetry anthologies a ...

in his memoirs written in ''

Mathrubhumi Weekly ''Mathrubhumi Azhchappathippu'' ( en, Mathrubhumi Illustrated Weekly) is an Indian general interest weekly magazine published by the Mathrubhumi Printing and Publishing Company in Calicut. The Malayalam language magazine started publishing on 18 ...

'' had stirred a huge controversy in Kerala literary circles.

Bibliography

Novels

*''Rescue Shelter'' ( Trichur: Current Books, 1967) *''Balikkallu'' (

Kottayam Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south- ...

: SPCS, 1968) *''Manasse Santhamakoo'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1968) *''Aattukattil'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1970) *''Aanappaka'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1976) *''Pavakkinavu'' (Kottayam:

DC 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 ...

, 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 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 ...

: Poompatta, 1989) *''Nazhikamani'' (Kottayam: SPCS, 1990) *''Athmaviboothi'' (Kottayam: Current Books, 2001) *''Jalasamadhi'' (Kottayam: DC Books, 2003)

Short story collections

*''Kettu Pinanja Jivita Bandham'' (

Palghat Palakkad (), formerly known as Palghat, historically known as Palakkattussery is a city and municipality in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the Palakkad District. Palakkad is most densely populated munic ...

: Modern, 1956) *''Vedanakalum Swapnangalum'' (

: SPCS, 1957) *''Premavum Vairupyavum'' (

Calicut Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second l ...

: 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 ''Mathrubhumi'' is a Malayalam newspaper that is published from Kerala, India. It was founded by K. P. Kesava Menon, an active volunteer in the Indian freedom struggle against the British. The word "Mathrubhumi" translates to 'mother land'. ...

, 1996) *''Kamsan'' (Kottayam:

, 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 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 ...

, 2009)

Others

* ''Kalpaka Poomazha'' (

: SPCS, 1985, collection of 38 poems, with an introduction by

Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon Kerala poet and Indian poet Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon (11 May 1911 – 22 December 1985) (also written as Vailoppilli) was an Indian poet of Malayalam literature. Known for his works such as ''Kudiyozhikkal'', ''Kannikkoythu'' and '' Mambazham'' ...

) * ''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