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Punathil Kunjabdulla

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Punathil Kunjabdulla (3 April 1940 – 27 October 2017) was an Indian writer from Kerala. A medical doctor by profession, Kunjabdulla was a practitioner of the avant-garde in Malayalam literature.[1][2] His work includes more than 45 books, including 7 novels, 15 short story collections, memoirs, an autobiography and travelogues. His work Smarakasilakal (Memorial Stones) won the Central and State Akademi Awards.[3]

Punathil Kunjabdulla
Born(1940-04-03)3 April 1940
Vatakara, Malabar District, Madras Presidency, British India (present-day Kerala, India)
Died27 October 2017(2017-10-27) (aged 77)
Calicut, Kerala, India
OccupationWriter, medical practitioner
NationalityIndian
Alma materBrennen College, Thalassery
Aligarh Muslim University
Notable awardsSahitya Akademi Award (1980)
Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award (1978, 1980, 2001, 2010)

Early and personal life

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Kunjabdulla was born in 1940 in Karakkad near Onchiyam in Vatakara, Malabar District (present-day Kozhikode district, Kerala) as the son of C. K. Mammu and Saina, Kunjabdulla. He completed his primary education from Karakkad Mappila Lower Primary School and high school from Govt. Fisheries Technical School, Madappally. He joined Government Brennen College, Thalassery and completed his pre-degree and a bachelor's degree in science.[4] He wanted to continue his studies at Brennen College and to do his masters in Malayalam. He was dissuaded by the late critic M. N. Vijayan, who was a teacher at the college's Department of Malayalam. "You don't have to do an MA to be a writer; all you need to know are the letters," his teacher advised him. He heeded the advice and went to the Aligarh Muslim University to study MBBS.[5] He was a registered medical practitioner and served in government sector from 1970 to 1973 and at Vatakara from 1974 to 1976. He married Haleema and had three children.[4] Kunjabdulla was living alone in a flat in Calicut during his last years.[6]

Despite coming from a conservative Muslim background, Kunjabdulla was known for his wanton and unconventional life-style.[7] He literally chose to celebrate life. Sethu once said: "His calibre to depict commoners was astonishing. With this magic, he could have written great works. However, he chose to celebrate life and did not care to write great works unlike many of his contemporaries. His lifestyle can be cited as the reason for this hindrance."[8] Though he was born in a Muslim family, he never wanted to lead a religious life. He always described himself as a Hindu by culture, despite being born a Muslim. He liked alcohol and pork and never hesitated to admit it publicly.[7]

In the 2001 Kerala assembly elections, Punathil unsuccessfully contested for Bharatiya Janata Party from Beypore constituency. He was pitted against industrialist-turned-politician V. K. C. Mammed Koya of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and veteran politician M C Mayin Haji of the Indian Union Muslim League. He finished third, securing 10,934 votes. Kunjabdulla's decision to contest on BJP ticket was a surprise for many. He later said in an interview: "They were the first to offer me a ticket. If the Congress or the CPM had offered me a ticket first, I would have accepted it. It is my commitment to the people and not any kind of affinity towards any particular party, that inspires me."[9]

Suffering from various ailments during his final years, he died at Baby Memorial Hospital in Calicut on 27 October 2017, aged 77.[10][11] At the time of death, Punathil was working on an uncompleted novel titled Ya Ayyuhannas. The novel, centred around religion and spirituality, was announced almost a year before and was to be serialised in Madhyamam Weekly.[12]

Literary career

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He sent his first short story Bhagyakuri (1958) to Mathrubhumi Illustrated Weekly while he was still at school, hoping to get published in the children's section.[13] However its associate editor M. T. Vasudevan Nair chose to publish it in the general category.[7] Kunjabdulla has called MT his only guru, both in life and writing.[14]

Smarakasilakal (Memorial Stones), published in 1977, is set in a region near Vatakara where he grew up. The novel tells the story of Khan Bahadur Pookkoya Thangal, the head of a feudal family, and the patriarchal structure at work within the family.[15]

Through the novel Marunnu (Medicine), which narrates the story on the life of MBBS students and of a medical college, Kunjabdulla introduced to Malayalam literature the world of hospitals and doctors.[16] Paralokam also picked up on themes of death, another novel richly informed by his own life experiences as a doctor.[17] He was a prolific writer of short stories as well.[18] His story Kshethravilakkukal (Temple Lights) was chosen by M. Krishnan Nair in a collection of best short stories in the language.[19] Kunjabdulla co-authored the novel Navagrahangulude Thadavara with Sethu. They discussed it together, wrote separately and then edited it together. According to Sethu, it was a work with a difference, though born ahead of the times.[8]

The writer in Kunjabdulla had a great affinity towards Karakkad village in Vatakara where he was born. Many of his stories were reflections of his village and the characters like Vandikkaran Kunjhan, Bappu Kanaran, Moosa Musaliyar and Sankarakurup were real life people in his village.[20] The years he spent at Aligarh also left deep impressions on Kunjabdulla. He was known as Aligadhinte Kathakaran as he introduced Aligarh in Malayalam literature. As an MBBS student, he spent 9 years in Aligarh Muslim University (1962-1970) and during his stay at Room No. 31 at VM Hal of AMU, he would write short stories on Aligarh and publish them in Malayalam journals. His experiences in the Uttar Pradesh city helped him write some of his most widely read short stories. Aligadhile Tadavukaran (The Prisoner in Aligarh), Marunnu (Medicine), Aligadh Kathakal (Aligarh Stories) are some of the famous books on Aligarh that he wrote. Cycle Savairi (Cycle Riding), Jeevachavangal (Living Cadavers) MoulanaInam Khureshi, Kathi (Knife), Velichaththinte Maranam (Death of Light) and Smasanathilekku Nayikkunna Njan (Leading by me Towards the Graveyard) are some of the most known short stories on his Aligarh days.[21]

Like Pookunjeebi in Smarakasilakal many of his female characters were strong personalities. Instead of depicting women in moodily love, he celebrated lust, passion of love and beauty through his women characters. The women characters in Kure Sthreekal, Pranaya Kathakal and Ente Kamukimarum Mattu Kathakalum represented life as it is and the underlying tone was lust.[17]

Awards

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Selected works

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Novels

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  • Smarakasilakal (DC Books, 1977)
  • Marunnu (DC Books)
  • Paralokam (DC Books)
  • Punathilinte Novellakal (DC Books)
  • Kanyavanangal (DC Books)
  • Navagrahangulude Thadavara (with Sethu) (DC Books)
  • Agnikinavukal (DC Books)
  • Ammaye Kaanan (Children's novel, Mathrubhumi Books)[27]
  • Kannadi Veedukal (Trichur Current Books,2001)

Short stories

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  • Aligarh Kathakal (Mathrubhumi Books, 2012)[28]
  • Ente Priyapetta Kathakal (DC Books)
  • Kshethravilakkukal (Mathrubhumi Books)[29]
  • Kure Sthreekal (Mathrubhumi Books)
  • Malamukalile Abdulla (Mathrubhumi Books, 1974)[30]
  • Marichupoya Ente Appanammamarkku (Poorna Publications, 1997)
  • Neelaniramulla Thottam
  • Pranaya Kathakal (Mathrubhumi Books)[31]
  • Punathilinte 101 Kathakal
  • Ente Kamukimarum Mattu Kathakalum
  • Kathi (Mathrubhumi Books)[32]

Others

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  • Atmaviswasam Valiya Marunnu (memoirs & essays, Mathrubhumi Books)[33]
  • Kaippunyam Athava Chila Adukkalakkaryangal (cookery, Mathrubhumi Books)[34]
  • Nashtajaathakam (autobiography, DC Books)
  • Puthiya Marunnum Pazhaya Manthravum (memoirs, Mathrubhumi Books)[35]
  • Randaam Chemmeen (memoirs, Manorama Books, 2012)
  • Volgayil Manju Peyyumbol (travelogue, Mathrubhumi Books)[36]

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Punathil Kunjabdulla.
  1. ^ Rajan, P. K. (1989). The Growth of the Novel in India, 1950–1980. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 81-7017-259-4.
  2. ^ Natarajan, Nalini (1996). The Handbook of twentieth-century literatures of India. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-313-28778-3.
  3. ^ a b Awards & Fellowships-Akademi Awards Archived 28 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b "ഇനി കഥയുടെ നിത്യസ്മാരകം". Deshabhimani. 28 October 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  5. ^ P.K. Ajith Kumar (27 October 2017). "Punathil Kunjabdulla is dead". The Hindu. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  6. ^ P. Zakir Hussain (24 April 2017). "ഓർമകളുടെ കടൽത്തീരത്ത് കുഞ്ഞബ്ദുള്ള". Madhyamam. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  7. ^ a b c Anand Kochukudy (29 October 2017). "Both life and literature were unconventional for Malayalam writer Punathil Kunjabdulla (1940-2017)". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2017-10-29.
  8. ^ a b Sethu (28 October 2017). "Punathil Kunjabdulla: He exemplified joie de vivre". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2017-10-29.
  9. ^ Jestin Abraham (29 October 2017). "How Punathil Kunjabdulla tested political waters in Beypore". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2017-10-29.
  10. ^ Mohan Lal (1992). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Sasay to Zorgot. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. p. 4119. ISBN 978-81-260-1221-3. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  11. ^ "Noted Malayalam writer Punathil Kunjabdulla is no more". The Hindu. 27 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  12. ^ "മടക്കം യാ അയ്യുഹന്നാസ് പൂർത്തിയാക്കാതെ". Madhyamam. 27 October 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  13. ^ M. Mukundan (2017). "ബി ജെ പി സ്ഥാനാര്‍ഥിയായത് പുനത്തില്‍ കാണിച്ച ഏറ്റവും വലിയ വികൃതി: എം മുകുന്ദന്‍". Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  14. ^ K. Rekha (27 October 2017). "Punathil: the writer who transformed experiences into words". Malayala Manorama. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  15. ^ P.K. Rajan (1989). The Growth of the Novel in India, 1950-1980. Abhinav Publications. p. 69.
  16. ^ G. Pramod (27 October 2017). "മരണത്തെ അതിജീവിക്കുന്ന ആ നോവൽ!". Malayala Manorama. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  17. ^ a b Saritha S. Balan (27 October 2017). "Punathil Kunjabdulla: The Malayali modernist who broke the mould in life and his writing". The News Minute. Retrieved 2017-11-01.
  18. ^ G. Pramod (27 October 2017). "പുനത്തിൽ- കഥയും ജീവിതവും". Malayala Manorama. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  19. ^ Dr. Rajesh Kumar M.P. (6 November 2017). "എം.കൃഷ്ണൻ നായരെയും പുനത്തിലിനെയും ദാരിയാഗഞ്ചില്‍ കണ്ടുമുട്ടിയപ്പോള്‍". Indian Express. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  20. ^ Ajith Kannan (28 October 2017). "Characters carved out from Karakkad in Vadakara". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2017-10-29.
  21. ^ T. N. Satheesan (27 October 2017). "Punathil Kunhabdulla, Malayalam Writer Who Brought Aligarh to Kerala, Passes Away". News18.com. Retrieved 2017-10-29.
  22. ^ Kerala Sahithya Academy Award – Novel Archived 24 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine (in Malayalam)
  23. ^ Kerala Sahithya Academy Award – Short story Archived 2 November 2017 at the Wayback Machine (in Malayalam)
  24. ^ "Kerala Sahitya Akademi awards presented". The Hindu. 30 May 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  25. ^ "Literary awards". Archived from the original on 21 September 2008. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
  26. ^ "Punathil Kunjabdulla wins Mathrubhumi literary award". Mathrubhumi. 14 September 2013. Archived from the original on 7 October 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  27. ^ "Ammaye Kaanan". Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  28. ^ "Aligarh Kathakal released" Archived 31 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  29. ^ Kshethravilakkukal Archived 28 June 2013 at archive.today
  30. ^ Malamukalile Abdulla Archived 28 June 2013 at archive.today
  31. ^ Pranaya Kathakal Archived 28 June 2013 at archive.today
  32. ^ Kathi Archived 28 June 2013 at archive.today
  33. ^ Atmaviswasam Valiya Marunnu Archived 28 June 2013 at archive.today
  34. ^ Kaippunyam Athava Chila Adukkalakkaryangal Archived 28 June 2013 at archive.today
  35. ^ Puthiya Marunnum Pazhaya Manthravum Archived 28 June 2013 at archive.today
  36. ^ Volgayil Manju Peyyumbol Archived 28 June 2013 at archive.today

Further reading

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