The early period of Malayalam
literature consists of a triple stream. (i) The Pacha-Malayalam
stream, by which we mean literary expression in pure Malayalam
without any admixture, (ii) The Tamil stream,(iii)the
Sanskrit stream. The first stream consists of ballads
and folk-songs, which are difficult to date. Songs connected with
religious rites such as ‘Bhadrakali Pattu’,
‘Thiyattupattu’, ‘Sastrakali’,
‘Thottampattu’ and later in point of
time, ‘Margamkalipattu’ are important
varieties. Then we have festival songs like ‘Onappattu’
and ‘Krishipattu’ and ballads of North Malabar and South
Malabar.
In the Tamil stream (pattu school) the most outstanding work is Ramacharitham
(12th Century AD) composed in a language which is a mixture of Tamil
and Malayalam. The mixing happens in the area of grammar as well.
The author is one Chairman and only ‘Yuddha Kanda’ has
been taken up by the poet. After this magnificent long poem, we have
the works of Niranam poets, ‘Kannasa Ramayanam’,
‘Bhagavad Gita’ and ‘Bharatamala’.
As compared to ‘Ramacharitham’ the Tamil influence in
these work is mush less. The Niranam poets (Kannassan group) we great
scholars and literary luminaries.
Sanskrit languages
and literature had a predominant influence of the
native language of Kerala. It has resulted in a peculiar variety of
literary dialect called ‘Manipravalm’ and hence this stream
is also referred to by this name. ‘Lilatilakam’ 14th century
is the earliest book dealing with certain aspects of Malayalam grammar
devoting most of its space to the grammar and rhetoric of Manipravala
compositions. Such compositions come under two main literary forms,
‘Sandesha Kavyas’ and ‘Champus’. Among
the many ‘Sandesha’ (message) poems, the most outstanding
is ‘Unnunili Sandesam’ (14th Century) whose authorship
is unknown. The most well known early ‘Champus’ are
‘Unniyaticharitam’ and ‘Unnichirutevi charitham’.
The three streams were influencing each other and by about the 15th
century, we have a great poem titled ‘Krishna gatha’
composed in a blended dignified style neither too high-brow nor
too low-brow. Cherussery Nambudiri is the author of this long poem
of Krishna. Throughout the whole range of Malayalam literature
there is no personality who could come away near Ezhuthachan (16th
century) in the grandeur of poetic quality. His ‘Adhyatma
Ramayanam’, ‘Bharatham’
and ‘Bhagavatham’ are the greatest
classics in the Malayalm language. ‘Kilipattu’ is the
name given to the form of verse he has made popular. The ‘Pattu’
of the ‘Kili’ means parrot song and in this literary
form Ezhuthachan has made use of a style which has set the standards
for all time. His Ramayana and Mahabharatha are great Bhakti poems
in the language. Till about 18th cent. ‘Kilipattu’,
‘Champu’ and ‘Sandeshakavya’ compositions
had been produced by many a poet in Kerala. Coming to the 18th Century
we have ‘Attakkatha’ and ‘Thullal’ compositions
which have enriched Malayalam verse in a significant way. ‘Attakatha’
is the literature form used for the well known ‘Kathakali’
performance. ‘Ramanattam’ by Kottarakara Tampuran is
the first full-fledged ‘Attakatha’. The great masters
of this literary form are Kottayathu Thampuran (Bakavadham, Kalakeya
vadham etc.) Unnayi Variyar (Nalacharitham-four days) and Erayimman
Thampi (Uttaraswayamvaram, Dakshayagam etc.)
‘Thullal’ is more popular art form and it has a considerable
amount of good literature. This branch of literature is associated
with the name of Kunchan Nambiyar who is unrivalled master. He has
about 45 ‘Thullal’ pieces to this credit. The puranic
theme he selects for his compositions are but pegs to hang his social
criticism and his poetry brims with humor and satire. ‘Thullal’
has great mass appeal.
Malayalam can claim to have a fairly long history of prose writings.
‘Anthasastra’ has been adapted into Malayalam prose
around 13th cent. Then we have ‘Attaprakaram’, ‘Kramadeepika’
and ‘Dutavakyam’ assigned to the period between 14th
and 17th century. ‘Varthamana pusthakam’ by Paremmakal
Thoma Kattanar is a travelogue written about a journey to Rome (1776-86)
in simple Malayalam. This is said to be the earliest travelogue
written in any Indian language.
By mid 19th cent. We have missionaries like Bailey and Gundert
compiling dictionaries, writing grammars and arranging translation
of the Bible into Malayalam. The missionaries tried to popularize
the colloquial idiom. Towards the end century, western impact finds
expression in creative writing. While poetry gets a new dimension
(Iyrics, odes,etc.) new literary genres get established in prose.
Poets and scholars like Kerala Varma and Rajaraja Varma paved the
way for an abiding renaissance in literature. Chandu Menon’s
social novels (Indulekha and Sarada) and C.V. Raman Pillai’s
historical novels (Marthanda Varma, Ramaraja bahadur and Dharmaraja)
are considered outstanding classics in the language. The contribution
of the great-trio Kumaranasan, Vallathol Narayana Menon, and Ullor
S. Parameswara Iyer – has enriched Malayalam literature with
their writings in verse and prose. This is considered the golden
period in modern poetry.
Later there were poets like G. Sankara Kurup, who won the first
Gyanpith Award and Changapuzha krishna Pillai, Vailoppilli Sreedhara
Menon, N.V. Krishna Warrier, O.N.V.Kurup, Vayalar Rama Varma, etc.
as also fiction writers like Kesavadev, Thakazhi (Gyanpith Award),
Muhammed Basheer, Ponkunnam Varki, S.K. Pottekkad, (Gyanpith Award),
P.C. Kuttikrishnan, Daroor, Kavoor, K.Sundhareshan, Parapurathhu,
and M.T. Vasudevan Nair(Gyanapith Award,1996) ; playwrights like
E.V. Krishna Pillai, Thoppil Bhasi, N.N. Pillai, T.N. Gopinathan
Nair, K.T. Muhammad, C.J. Thomas, G.Sankara Pillai, C.N. Sreekantan
Nair and critics like P.K. Narayana Pillai, Kuttikrishna Marar,
M.P. Paul, Mundassery, Sukumar Azhikode, M.Govindan, S. Guptan Nair,
M.Krishnan Nair, K.P. Appan, M.N. Viyanan and lots of others in
all branches of literature too numerous to mention. And when one
comes to the recent period, there are many writers who have made
worthwhile contributions in all branches of writing.
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