Kovilan

Kandanisseri Vattamparambil Velappan Ayyappan (9 July 1923 – 2 June 2010) or V. V. Ayyappan, better known by his pen name Kovilan, was an Indian Malayalam language novelist and freedom fighter from Kerala. He is considered one of the most prolific writers of contemporary Indian literature.[1] In all, he had authored 11 novels, 10 collections of short stories, three essays and a play.

V. V. Ayyapan
BornKandanissery Vattamparambil Velappan Ayyappan
(1923-07-09)9 July 1923
Kandanassery, Guruvayur, Thrissur, Kingdom of Cochin, British India
Died2 June 2010(2010-06-02) (aged 86)
Kunnamkulam, Thrissur, Kerala, India
Pen nameKovilan
OccupationWriter, soldier, freedom fighter
LanguageMalayalam
NationalityIndian
CitizenshipIndian
Alma materKandanisseri Excelsior School

Nenmini Higher Elementary School

Sahitya Deepika Sanskrit College at Pavaratty
GenreNovel, short story, essay
Notable worksEzhamedangal, Thottangal, Thattakam
Notable awardsKerala Sahitya Akademi Award
1972 Thottangal

Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award
1977 Sakunam
Kerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship
1997
Sahitya Akademi Award
1998 Thattakam
Sahitya Akademi Fellowship
2005

Ezhuthachan Puraskaram
2005

He won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1972 and 1977 and the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award in 1998. He was also a recipient of the Kerala state government's highest literary honour Ezhuthachan Puraskaram in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Malayalam literature.[2] He had been a Fellow of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi since 1997 and Sahitya Akademi since 2005.[1][3]

Life

Early years

Kovilan was born in Kandanassery in Guruvayur, Thrissur to Vattomparambil Shanku Velappan and Kotakkattil Kunjandi Kali. He did his early education at the Kandanisseri Excelsior School and Nenmini Higher Elementary School. He then joined the Sahitya Deepika Sanskrit College at Pavaratty at the age of 13. He attended classes of K. P. Narayana Pisharody, P. C. Vasudevan Elayathu, M. P. Sankunni Nair, Cherukadu and Srikrishna Sharma. Even as a student, he had shown interest in writing poems and stories.

A follower of Mahatma Gandhi, Kovilan left the Sanskrit College to participate in the Quit India Movement. That marked the end of his formal academic education. By the time he quit, he had written at least three novels.

Military life

He joined the Royal Indian Navy in 1943 and was trained in Anti-submarine Detecting Operations. He served in Bengal sea, Burma and Singapore. He quit following the Royal Indian Navy mutiny of 1946 and returned home. While back in Kerala, Kovilan maintained a close friendship with Vaikom Muhammed Basheer, Joseph Mundassery and C. J. Thomas. He also took part in the trade union movements. In 1948 he passed SSLC and worked for a while as a stenographer for Joseph Mundassery. In 1948, he joined the Indian Army Corps of Signals as Radio Mechanic.[4] He also specialised in electronics. For five years he lived in the Himalayas. While in army, he came in contact with soldier-turned-writers Parappurath and Nandanar. He also worked as National Cadet Corps training officer at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. He retired from the Indian Army in 1968 as Havildar Major and settled down at Pullanikunnu at Kandanassery.

Death

Kovilan died on 2 June 2010 in Kunnamkulam, aged 86.[5]

Writings

Kovilan has written 4 novels—A Minus B (1958), Ezhamedangal (Army Wives, 1965), Thazhvarakal (The Valleys, 1969) and Himalayam—with military experiences as their background.

Thottangal (Incantations, 1970), the first post-service novel of the writer, narrates the delirious memories of an old woman in the night of her death whose life was shipwrecked turning the dreams of her childhood into nightmares.

His most popular novel was Thattakam (The Terrain, 1995).

Kovilan's first collection of short stories was Oru Palam Manayola (A Measure of Red Arsenic). This book was published in the year 1957. The story Tharavadu (Ancestral Home) is included in this collection. Kovilan's other collections of short stories include Ee Jeevitham Ananthamanu (1957), Orikkal Manushyanayirunnu (1960), Oru Kashanam Asthi (1961), Vendam Kadi (1969), Thervazhchakal (1971), Pitham (1971), Shakunam (1974), Adyathe Kathakal (1978), Sujatha (1979), Theranjedutha Kathakal (1980) and Kovilante Kathakal (1985). A tele-serial based on his novel Thottangal was beamed on Doordarshan. Some of his short stories also have been adapted for tele-screen.

Style and recurring themes

According to one source, Kovilan's works contributed to transforming a community bogged down by conservatism to one that was progressive and socialist in outlook.[6]

Poet and critic K. Satchidanandan notes:

He wrote pure prose, not poetic prose. In an era when prose writers revelled in poetic expressions, Kovilan wrote a prose that was plain and lean. Its beauty was raw and unadorned. Though Kovilan's works were initially categorised as Pattala Sahityam or soldier's writings, it was clear after the publication of Thattakam and Thottangal that they were more than that. Writers seek legends. Kovilan realised that there is a legend behind every man. He sought to document this. He explored the legends of his village. His stories bridged local and regional history.[7]

Awards

Bibliography

Novels
Title Title in English Year Publisher
Thakarnna HridayangalBroken Hearts1946Arunodayam Press, Vadakkencherry
A Minus B1958Current Books, Thrissur
EzhamedangalArmy Wives1965Current Books, Thrissur
ThazhvarakalThe Valleys1969Current Books, Thrissur
ThottanngalIncantations1970Current Books, Thrissur
HimalayamThe Himalayas1972Current Books, Thrissur
Bharathan1976Poorna Publications, Calicut
JanmantharanngalThrough Many Births1982Sahithya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society, Kottayam
ThattakamThe Terrain1995Current Books, Thrissur

Novelettes
Title Title in English Year Publisher
Board Out1936Current Books, Thrissur
TharavaduThe Ancestral Home1963Current Books, Thrissur

Short stories
Title Title in English Year Publisher
Oru Palam ManayolaA Measure of Red Arsenic1957Current Books, Thrissur
Ee Jeevitham AnadhamanuThis Life is Orphaned1957Current Books, Thrissur
Orikkal ManushyanayirunnuOnce a Man I was...1960Current Books, Thrissur
Oru Kashanam AsthiA Piece of Bone1961Current Books, Thrissur
VendamkadiThe Unwanted1969Current Books, Thrissur
ThervazchakalApparitions1971Current Books, Thrissur
PithamThe Bilious Child1971Current Books, Thrissur
Sujatha1971Poorna Publications, Calicut
SakunamThe Omen1974Sahithya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society, Kottayam
Adyathe KathakalStories of Early Days1978Sahithya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society, Kottayam
Theranjedutha KathakalSelected Stories1980Sahithya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society, Kottayam
Kovilante KathakalStories of Kovilan1985Current Books, Thrissur
Suvarna KathakalGolden Stories2002Green Books, Thrissur
Ente Priyappetta KathakalMy Favourite Stories2003DC Books, Kottayam

Play
Title Title in English Year Publisher
Ninte Viswasam Ninne PoruppikkumYour Faith Ensures What Happens to You1957Current Books, Thrissur

Miscellaneous writings
Title Title in English Year Publisher
Kovilante LekhanangalEssays of Kovilan1984Sikha Publications, Calicut
Kathayum KathakalumStories Behind the Stories1957Poorna Publications, Calicut
AthmabhavangalSelf Reflections1995Jwala, Ariyannur, Thrissur

References
  1. "Nirmal Verma, Kovilan elected Sahitya Academy Fellows". The Hindu. 17 February 2005. Archived from the original on 17 February 2005. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
  2. "Ezhuthachan Puraskaram presented to writer Kovilan". The Hindu. 29 January 2007. Archived from the original on 22 October 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
  3. "A moment of honour for writer-patriarch Kovilan". The Hindu. 3 May 2005. Archived from the original on 6 May 2005. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
  4. "Nirmal Verma, Kovilan elected Sahitya Akademi Fellows". The Hindu. 17 February 2005. Archived from the original on 17 February 2005. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  5. "Noted novelist Kovilan passes away". Mathrubhumi. 2 June 2010. Archived from the original on 6 June 2010. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
  6. "A staunch votary of labour class". The New Indian Express. 3 June 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  7. "Kovilan a master of pure prose". The Hindu. 10 July 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2013.

Further reading
  • Dr. Ajayapuram Jyothishkumar, Kovilan Ezhuthu Desam Prathinidhanam, State Institute of Languages. A study on the writings of Kovilan
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