Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran ( ml, കേരളവർമ്മ വലിയ കോയിത്തമ്പുരാൻ; 19 February 1845 – 22 September 1914) also spelt Kerala Varma Valiya Koilthampuran and known as Kerala Varma, was a
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 ...
- language poet and translator who had an equal facility in writing in English and
Sanskrit from the Indian state of
Kerala.
[Paniker, Ayyappa]
"Modern Malayalam Literature"
chapter in George, K. M., editor, ' 'Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology' ', pp 231, 236 published by Sahitya Akademi, 1992, retrieved 10 January 2009 He was part of the royal family of erstwhile
Parappanad
Parappanad was a former feudal city-state in Malabar, India. The headquarters of Parappanad Royal family was at the town Parappanangadi in present-day Malappuram district. In 1425, the country divided into Northern Parappanad (Beypore kingdom) a ...
,
Malappuram district. Kerala Varma is also known as the ''Kalidasa of Kerala''.
Kerala Varma has been called "a colossal Renaissance figure in 19th century Kerala" and "perhaps the first of the major
alayalam languagewriters who consciously and deliberately began to absorb and celebrate the Western influence" on his native literature. He advocated resuscitation of
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 ...
literature by absorbing selected Western influences combined with native Sanskritic elements in poetry, drama and prose.
[
]
Life
He was born in Changanacherry
Changanassery or Changanacherry is a municipal town in Kottayam district in the state of Kerala, India.
History
The first recorded history on the origin of Changanacherry is obtained from Sangam period literature. According to Sangam era d ...
at the Lakshmipuram Palace on 19 February 1845 (6 Kumbham 1020) in Pooyam star. His mother was Pooram Nal Devi Amba Thampuratti while his father was Cheriyoor Mullapally Narayanan Namboothiri, Perinchelloor Gramam (Taliparamba
Taliparamba (also known as Perinchelloor and Lakshmipuram) is a Municipality in Taliparamba taluk of Kannur district, Kerala, India. The municipal town spreads over an area of and is inhabited by 44,247 number of people.
Etymology
Th ...
) in Kannur District. His family had fled Malabar
Malabar may refer to the following:
People
* Malabars, people originating from the Malabar region of India
* Malbars or Malabars, people of Tamil origin in Réunion
Places
* Malabar Coast, or Malabar, a region of the southwestern shoreline o ...
and sought refuge in Travancore during the invasion of Tipu Sultan towards the end of the 18th century. After peace was restored, however, the Parappanad
Parappanad was a former feudal city-state in Malabar, India. The headquarters of Parappanad Royal family was at the town Parappanangadi in present-day Malappuram district. In 1425, the country divided into Northern Parappanad (Beypore kingdom) a ...
Royal family agreed to accept a pension from the British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
government as also from the Travancore government and stayed back in the latter state.
Although the Koil Thampuran was born at Changanacherry, his family subsequently moved to Haripad
Haripad is a Municipality in ''Onattukara'' region of Alappuzha District, Kerala, India located between Alappuzha and Kollam on the National Highway 66. Haripad is bordered on the east by Pallippad, Veeyapuram and Karuvatta to the nor ...
and settled at the Ananthapuram Palace. In 1859 he was married to Her Highness Bharani Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi
Maharani Bharani Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi CI (1848–1901) was the Senior Rani of Travancore from 1857 till her death in 1901. Her consort was the famous poet and writer, styled the father of Malayalam literature, Sri Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Th ...
, the adopted niece of Uthram Thirunal
Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma (26 September 1814 – 18 August 1860) was the Maharajah of Travancore state in southern India, succeeding his elder brother Maharajah Swathi Thirunal in 1846 till his demise in 1860. Known for his progress ...
, then Maharajah of Travancore. His marriage to the Senior Rani thus brought him into close association with the Travancore Royal Family. Later, however, through palace intrigues and personal disaffection with the Maharajah Ayilyam Thirunal
Ayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma (1832–1880) was the ruler of the princely state of Travancore in India from 1860 to 1880. His reign was highly successful with Travancore gaining the appellation of "model state of India". Ayilyam Thirunal was t ...
he was confined at Haripad
Haripad is a Municipality in ''Onattukara'' region of Alappuzha District, Kerala, India located between Alappuzha and Kollam on the National Highway 66. Haripad is bordered on the east by Pallippad, Veeyapuram and Karuvatta to the nor ...
forcefully in 1875, only to be released and reunited with his wife in 1880 by Maharajah Visakham Thirunal. He wrote an apology letter to Ayilyam Tihirunal on 26 January 1877 admitting all charges including being in league with Visakham Thirunal and writing a letter to the diwan and later lying that he never wrote such a letter. He also admitted of being attracted to Christianity and addicted to Bhang
Bhang (IAST: ''Bhāṅg'') is an edible preparation made from the leaves of the cannabis plant originating from the Indian subcontinent. It has been used in food and drink as early as 1000 BC in ancient India. Bhang is traditionally distribu ...
. He was awarded with the Companion of the Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:
# Knight Grand Commander (GCSI)
# Knight Commander ( KCSI)
# Companion ( CSI)
No appointments ...
in 1885 by the British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
Government. After the death of his consort Rani Lakshmi Bayi in 1901 he was appointed the guardian of her two grandnieces, the Senior and Junior Ranis of Travancore, including Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi
Pooradam Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi CI (5 November 1895– 22 February 1985) was the monarch, though designated as the Regent due to British policy, of the Kingdom of Travancore in southern India between 1924 and 1931. She, along with her yo ...
. He died in a car accident in September 1914. At that time, cars were rare in India, and only rich people like him had cars. According to the sources, Kerala Varma was going to Vaikom Mahadeva Temple
The Sree Vaikom Mahadeva Temple is a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva in Vaikom, Kerala, India.
The temple, along with the Ettumanoor Shiva Temple and the Kaduthuruthy Shiva Temple is considered a powerful place of Shiva. The belief i ...
with his nephew and disciple A. R. Rajaraja Varma, another great scholar, called as 'Kerala Panini'. On the way of return, he stayed at Ananthapuram Palace, Haripad
Haripad is a Municipality in ''Onattukara'' region of Alappuzha District, Kerala, India located between Alappuzha and Kollam on the National Highway 66. Haripad is bordered on the east by Pallippad, Veeyapuram and Karuvatta to the nor ...
. The next day, while going to Thiruvananthapuram, his car got crashed, and he succumbed to his injuries two days later.
People from various spheres mourned his death. He was cremated with full state honours at his home in Changanassery
Changanassery or Changanacherry is a municipal town in Kottayam district in the state of Kerala, India.
History
The first recorded history on the origin of Changanacherry is obtained from Sangam period literature. According to Sangam era d ...
.
Literary works
Kerala Varma was in close touch with literary movements in both northern and southern parts of Kerala, including ''Bhashaposhini Sabha'' and magazines such as '' Vidya Vinodini'' and ''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 ...
''.[
His work ''Abhijnana Sakunthalam''(1898), a translation of Kalidasa's ''Sakunthalam'', is one of the most acclaimed works of poetry 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 ...
from that period. It influenced a number of other translations of Sanskrit classics into Malayalam and was a success on the stage. The subsequent spate of translations from English and Sanskrit into Malayalam was an important feature of Malayalam literature in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.[
He has also written ''Mayoorasandesham'' (also spelt ''Mayura Sandesam''; 1894][) on the line of Kalidasa's ''MeghaDooth''(aka ''Meghaduta''). In this poetry he has used the peacocks of ]Haripad
Haripad is a Municipality in ''Onattukara'' region of Alappuzha District, Kerala, India located between Alappuzha and Kollam on the National Highway 66. Haripad is bordered on the east by Pallippad, Veeyapuram and Karuvatta to the nor ...
temple to send his messages to his wife, the Maharani, in Trivandrum. His celebrated work ''Visakhavijaya'' was written after his release by Visakham Thirunal.
See also
* Muloor S. Padmanabha Panicker
References
* Travancore State Manual by Velu Pillai
* Visakhavijaya- A Study by Poovattoor Ramakrishna Pillai
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thampuran, Kerala Varma Valiya Koil
Indian male poets
Malayalam poets
Malayalam-language writers
Indian Sanskrit scholars
Translators of Kalidasa
1845 births
1914 deaths
Companions of the Order of the Star of India
Travancore royal family
Road incident deaths in India
19th-century Indian poets
20th-century Indian poets
People from Changanassery
Poets from Kerala
19th-century Indian translators
20th-century Indian translators