Kottarathil Sankunni

Kottarathil Sankunni
Born	(1855-03-23)March 23, 1855
Died	July 22, 1937(1937-07-22)(aged 82)
Occupation	Writer
Nationality	Indian
Genre	Novel, short Story
Notable works	Aithihyamala
Notable awards	Kavithilakan
Spouse	Sreedevi Amma, Lakshmy Amma, Devaki Amma
Relatives	Vasudevan Unni (father) Nangayya (mother)

Kottarathil Sankunni(born Vasudevan, 1855–1937) was an Indian writer ofMalayalam literature.Best known as the author ofAithihyamala,an eight-volume compilation of century-old legends aboutKerala,Sankunni's writings cover prose and poetry, including verses forKathakaliandOttan Thullal.He was one of the founding members ofBhashaposhini Sabhafounded byKandathil Varghese Mappillaiand was also involved withBharata Vilasam Sabha,another literary initiative. He died on July 22, 1937.

Biography

Kottarathil Sankunni was born on March 23, 1855, at Kodimatha, inKottayam districtof the south Indian state ofKerala(erstwhileTravancore) to Vasudevan Unni-Nangayya couple.The boy, whose name at birth was Vasudevan but was calledThanku,Sankuand laterSankunni,did his early schooling under the tutelage of a local teacher and later, studied Sanskrit under Manarkattu Sanku Warrier and traditional medicine under Vayskara Aryan Narayanan Mooss. He joinedMalayala Manoramain 1890 as the editor of their poetry section during which time he tutored a few Britishers the language of Malayalam. In 1893, he was selected as a Malayalam teacher at M. D. Seminary High School, Kottayam.

Sankunni married for the first time in 1881 but after the death of his first wife, married Evoor Panaveliveettil Sreedevi Amma in 1887. he married twice more, the brides were Panaveli Lakshmy Amma and Pengali Thekkethu Devaki Amma. He died on 22 July 1937, at the age of 82.

Legacy

Bharatha Vilasam Sabha – Kottarathil Sankunni,Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer,Kodungallur Kunjikkuttan ThampuranandVallathol Narayana Menonare seen in the picture

Sankunni's contributions cover both prose and poetry, includingKathakaliliterature,Thullal,kilipattu,vanchipattuand other genres of literature.His works include:

• Aithihyamala,a collection of legendary stories including those aboutKadamattathu Kathanar,Kayamkulam Kochunni,Parayi petta panthirukulamand others.
• Sreerama pattabhishekam(Kathakali)
• Adhdhyathmaramayanam(Translation)

He was also involved with two literary initiatives, theBhashaposhini Sabhafounded byKandathil Varghese Mappillaiand theBharata Vilasam Sabha,an organization where most of the literary figures of that period were members.

Aithihyamala

Main article:Aithihyamala

Sankunni started compiling the legends of Kerala in 1909 and it took over a quarter to a century for him to complete the work.Aithihyamala(Garland of Legends), once completed was an eight-volume compilation of legends and old stories, popular in Kerala over the centuries. The work comprises eight volumes, containing 126 chapters.It was first serialised inBhashaposhiniliterary magazine. Later, it was published by the Reddiar Press in Quilon, in the early twentieth century.Kottarathil Sankunni Memorial Committeeentrusted National Book Stall to reprint the work in 1974 and in 1991,D. C. Bookspublished it in a new format.The book is known to have sold over 150,000 copies until 2004.

Bibliography

Selected works

• Śaṅkuṇṇi, Koṭṭārattil (2015).Aithihyamala.Ḍi Si Buks.ISBN9788126422906.OCLC960468561.
• Śaṅkuṇṇi, Koṭṭārattil (1931).Kṣhēthr̲amāhātmyaṃ.Tr̥śśūr: Maṅgaḷōdayaṃ Pr̲ass.OCLC43104218.
• Śaṅkuṇṇi, Koṭṭārattil (1935).Seemanthinīcharitaṃ: bhāṣānāṭakaṃ.Trichur: Keralodayam Press.OCLC37527198.
• Śaṅkuṇṇi, Koṭṭārattil (1909).Kuchēlagōpālaṃ: nāṭakaṃ.Tr̥śśūr: Bhārativilāsaṃ Accukūṭaṃ.OCLC38510750.
• Śaṅkuṇṇi, Koṭṭārattil (1980).Addhyātmarāmāyaṇaṃ(in Malayalam). Kottayam; Tiruvanantapuraṃ: Kottarathil Sankunni Memorial Committee; Distributors, Kar̲ant̲ Buks.OCLC11496946.
• Śaṅkuṇṇi, Koṭṭārattil (1908).Lakṣmībhāīśatakaṃ: maṇipr̲avāḷaṃ.Tr̥śśūr: Bhāratavilāsaṃ Pr̲ass.OCLC38510783.
• Śaṅkuṇṇi, Koṭṭārattil (1908).Māṭhamahīśhaśatakaṃ: maṇipr̲avāḷaṃ.Tr̥śśūr: Bhāratavilāsaṃ.OCLC39133272.

Translations into English

• Śaṅkuṇṇi, Koṭṭārattil (1997).Tales from Kerala.Translated by Wood, Reade. India.OCLC43779950.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Koṭṭārattil Śaṅkuṇṇi (2016).Aithihyamaala: the great legends of Kerala.Translated by Śr̲īkumāri Rāmacandran. Mathrubhumi Books.ISBN9788182666252.OCLC1032243481.
• Śaṅkuṇṇi, Koṭṭārattil (2006).Tales once told: legends of Kerala adapted from Kottarathil Sankunni's Ithihyamala.Translated by Eraly, Abraham. New Delhi; New York, NY: Penguin Books.ISBN978-0-14-309968-0.OCLC76902803.

External links

• "Portrait commissioned by Kerala Sahitya Akademi".Kerala Sahitya Akademi.10 March 2019.Retrieved10 March2019.
• Vishnu B (20 July 2013)."Kottarathil Sankunni – A Radio illustration".YouTube.All India Radio.Archivedfrom the original on 19 December 2021.Retrieved10 March2019.