tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-351299312024-02-20T15:58:11.176-08:00RHYTHM 'n' POETRYമനോജ് കുറൂര്http://www.blogger.com/profile/14574430239097887833noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35129931.post-11894763914670016942012-04-30T11:21:00.000-07:002012-04-30T11:25:00.294-07:00English and Regional Languages: The Need for a Literary Lingua-Cultural Rendezvous<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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When it
is genuine, when it is born of the need to speak, no one can stop the human
voice. When denied a mouth, it speaks with the hands or the eyes, or the pores,
or anything at all. Because every single one of us has something to say to the
others, something that deserves to be celebrated or forgiven by others.</div>
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-<i>The
Book of Embraces</i>, Eduardo Galeano</div>
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The recent cultural theories
provide a common platform for English and regional languages. These theories
are included in the curriculum of language and literature as the tools for
analyzing the micro strategies of imposing cultural power as well as the
structure of language. But the colonial consciousness of the public and
moreover the academic world refrain from making it more effective. Even now the
English education in India
is based on a Euro centric approach that follows the Western model of Standard
English in the structure of language as well as pronunciation. The function of
English education should be redefined in a cultural perspective and it should
be closely related to the region, where it works.</div>
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English
has played a major role in the renaissance process of Kerala during the last
century of colonial era. The Christian missionaries started English schools in
various parts of Kerala from the beginning of nineteenth century itself. <span style="color: black;">The English education was introduced by the British with
the twin purpose of preparing the natives for taking up jobs to assist in the
administration of the country and thereby imposing on them the values of
western thought. On the other side, those schools provided the awareness of
modern world for the people, the then ‘untouchables’, who were denied formal
education in a rigorous caste based social system. The so called upper class
kept themselves away from those schools as they had a traditional system of
education based on Sanskrit language. But the traditional learners were forced
to accept English education subsequently for various reasons. </span></div>
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The
decline of joint family system and the emergence of nuclear families forced
individuals to seek new job opportunities. The social leaders, who were
influenced by the western thoughts of democracy and modernism, identified the
traditional believes and caste system as the main obstacles of social
development. Indulekha, a Malayalam novel written in the last quarter of
nineteenth century, urged the upper class for modern education, by making a contrast
between the English educated protagonists with modern outlook and the
antagonists as well as comic characters, who followed traditional value system.
The innovative thoughts and exhortations provided by the social leaders, who
argued for democracy, freedom, equality and secularism influenced the
traditional scholars as well. Later on, the Indian political leaders, social
reformers and writers of different regions developed a new perspective of
social rights by understanding various cultures and political movements of
different civil societies in different parts of the world through English
education and they used it not only as a weapon to fight against colonial power
but also to unite the people internally by applying the methods like
eradication of untouchability. English became the prominent medium of
communication between different linguistic groups, which was inevitable in a
multilingual nation like India.
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The
impact of Western modernism was evident in social life and cultural discourses
of that time. Lot of changes occurred in
Malayalam literature also. Neo-classical literary forms were replaced by modern
literary genres like novel and short story. The traditional forms of poetry and
drama also explored new ways of expression. Lot
of western literary works was translated into Malayalam. But the process of
modernization brought up some serious struggles in the cultural context of
Kerala, as it did in the other regions of India. Malayalam writers of the
first half of the Twentieth century shared these conflicts about self, identity
and the existence of regional language in their literary works. We can see the
argument from the other side of modernization in the poems like ‘Ente
bhasha’(my language) written by Vallathol Narayana Menon and ‘macaulayyude
makal’ (daughter of macaulay) by P. Kunjiraman Nair. ‘Kuttippuram palam’
(Kuttippuram bridge) by Edasseri Govindan Nair depicted the struggle between
regional culture and modernity. Marshall Berman explains the struggle and
experience of modernity:</div>
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To be modern
is to find ourselves in an environment that promises us adventure, power, joy,
growth, transformation of ourselves and the world, and, at the same time, that
threatens to destroy everything we have, everything we know, everything we are.
Modern environments and experiences cut across all boundaries of geography and
ethnicity, of class and nationality, of religion and ideology: in this sense,
modernity can be said to unite all mankind. But it is a paradoxical unity, a
unity of disunity: it pours us all into a maelstrom of perpetual disintegration
and renewal, of struggle and contradiction, of ambiguity and anguish. To be
modern is to be part of a universe in which, as Marx said, ‘all that is solid
melts into air’. <span style="color: black; font-size: 6pt; line-height: 150%; position: relative; top: -3.5pt;">1</span></div>
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This kind of joyous and dangerous
experience of modernity continued to be complicated in the post independent era
also. The ideology of European modernism influenced the regional literatures in
1950s, while urbanization, poverty, political changes, wars and communal riots
made Indian modernism more complex. As far as languages are concerned, Hindi
gained the national status while other Indian languages were limited to their
own regions. English remains on the verge of cultural domination. Braj Kachru
observes, “English now has national and international functions that are both
distinct and complementary. English has thus acquired a new power base and a
new elitism” <span style="font-size: 6.5pt; line-height: 150%; position: relative; top: -3.5pt;">2 </span></div>
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The
educational institutions in India
accepted English as their first language for communication and cultural
exchange. The criteria in quality of educational institutions turned into how
effectively they teach Standard English. The high class English schools
followed Oxford English and Received Pronunciation as their status symbols.
Standard Indian English pretends to be similar to British English, but it also
has some regional differences, which are natural in a Multi-lingual society.
Despite this diversity, there is general homogeneity in syntax and vocabulary
among the varieties of Indian English.</div>
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But
the common people of India
use English for communication with a regional colour that they developed within
a number of dialects in English, distinct from the Standard Indian English that
educational institutions have tried to establish. It is possible to distinguish
a person's sociolinguistic background from the dialect that he/she employs.
These dialects are influenced by their native languages, not only in the syntax
and pronunciation, but also in the lexicon and idioms they generate from
familiar situations of their regional culture. Malayali, Tamil, Rajasthani,
punjabi and various other Indian language speaking communities developed their
own English with this regional flavor. For example Suchitra Sadanandan has done
a research on the topic ‘Stress in Malayalee English: A generative phonological
approach’ (1981). Butler English or Kichen English is another dialect, which
has some specific features of a pidgin, with a ‘Subject Verb Object’ word order
and has a lack of distinct grammatical rules of Standard English. But the colonial
cultural power of Standard English affects the Indians in a way, such as the
consciousness of right and wrong, suspicions on pronunciation and the
uncertainty of ‘quality’ make some kind of inhibitions in speaking/using
English</div>
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In
fact, this cultural dilemma of language is evident in other colonial nations
also. For example, the continent Africa is
made up of people with different languages and countries with a variety of
approaches to cultural expression and has rich traditions of verbal arts. But
the transatlantic slave trade and colonial administration in various African
countries alienated them from their own culture in many ways. First of all, the
slaves exiled from their countries lost their own language and culture, at the
same time they were forced to practice their masters’ language and alienated
from both of these languages. The natives of African countries, who inhabited
their homelands under colonial control, faced the domination of languages like
English and French in a similar way as of Indians. </div>
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The Africans followed a range approaches in
using writing as a mode of colonial resistance. The first notable movement was
Harlem Renaissance, centered on Harlem in New
York City in the 1920s and 1930s. Famous poet and
activist Langston Hughes, who participated in this movement, wrote about the
period that "Harlem was in vogue".
Another literary and ideological movement, <i>Negritude</i>,
developed by francophone black writers, and politicians in France in the 1930s used various
kinds of cultural expressions. Leopold Sedar <span style="color: black;">Senghor,
poet and the first president of Senegal
from 1960 to 1981, Aime Cesaire, poet from Martinica, and Leon Damas from French Guiana were the leaders of this movement. Senghor
has defined Negritude as ‘the sum-total of the values of the black world.’
Anthonia C. Kalu says,</span></div>
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Asserting
African self-determination, beauty, dignity and strength, negritude enabled the
emerging Western-educated African leadership to explore questions of
responsibility, homeland and images of Africa
as the Mother that nurtures.<span style="font-size: 6.5pt; line-height: 150%; position: relative; top: -3.5pt;">3</span> </div>
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<span style="color: black;">Accordingly, “Negritude aimed at trapping the colonizer
with his own logic to reverse the damages he had caused.”</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 6.5pt; line-height: 150%; position: relative; top: -3.5pt;">4</span><span style="color: black;"> The writers of this movement introduced
African narrative techniques and themes used in oral tradition into contemporary
African literature, especially in short story and novel. Thomas Mofolo’s <i>Chaka</i>, a novel originally written in
Sesotho language in 1910, and translated into English in 1925, made a platform
for this Africanism. Amos Tutola’s <i>The
palm-wine drinkard</i> (1953), the novel written in a stilted English, is a
powerful compilation of Yoruba narratives. Chinua Achebe’s <i>Things Fall Apart</i> (1958) which is written in a kind of Standard
English, yet manifesting the specific features of Negritude effectively, takes
a different approach from that of Tutola’s <i>Palm-wine
Drinkard</i>. Camara Laye’s, <i>The African
Child</i> (1954), an autobiography written in a plain sensitive language is
considered a major work in francophone literature. </span></div>
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In Caribbean Islands, different ethnic groups and
language- communities were compelled to live together under the colonial power.
This situation made a hybrid cultural environment and the inhabitants of the
islands formed some pidgins to communicate with each other.<span style="font-size: 6.5pt; line-height: 150%; position: relative; top: -3.5pt;">5</span> Later the
descendants of these people developed the pidgins as creoles but these
languages struggled to find their way into main stream literature.<span style="font-size: 6.5pt; line-height: 150%; position: relative; top: -3.5pt;">6</span> For
instance, Louise Bennett (1919–2006), who wrote poetry in Jamaican Creole, was
excluded from the meetings of Jamaican poetry league, but she argued forcefully
for the recognition of this language. Notable Reggae singers Bob Marley and
Peter Tosh used Jamaican Creole in many of their songs. These kinds of
endeavors are relevant in the context of lingua-cultural resistance.</div>
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‘Decolonizing
the mind’ (1986) written by Ngugi wa Thiong'o, the famous English writer from
Kenya, who renounced English, Christianity, and the name James Ngugi as
colonialist and now writing in his native languages Gikuyu and Swahil,
justifies his <span style="color: black;">proclamation, ‘my farewell to English
as a vehicle for any of my writings’,</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 6.5pt; line-height: 150%; position: relative; top: -3.5pt;">7</span><span style="color: black;"> by providing a
number of arguments. Here are some excerpts from this work, which sometimes
resemble social situations as well as the English education in contemporary
Indian Context:</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">1. ‘We spoke Gikuyu [the most widely spoken language in Kenya]
in and outside the home. I can vividly recall those evenings of storytelling
around the fireside.’</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">2. ‘The stories, with mostly animals as the main
characters, were all told in Gikuyu...the language of our evening teach-ins,
and the language of our immediate and wider community, and the language of our
work in the fields were one.’</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">3. ‘And then I went to school, a colonial school, and this
harmony was broken. The language of my education was no longer the language of
my culture... English became the language of my formal education. In Kenya,
English became more than a language: it was <i>the</i> language, and all the
others had to bow before it in deference.’</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">4. ‘Thus one of the most humiliating experiences was to be
caught speaking Gikuyu in the vicinity of the school. The culprit was given
corporal punishment - three to five strokes of the cane on bare buttocks - or
was made to carry a metal plate around the neck with inscriptions such as </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%;">I AM STUPID</span><span style="color: black;"> or </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%;">I AM A DONKEY</span><span style="color: black;">. Sometimes the
culprits were fined money they could hardly afford.’ </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">5. ‘The attitude to English was the exact opposite: any
achievement in spoken or written English was highly rewarded... nobody could
pass the exam who failed the English language paper no matter how brilliantly
he had done in the other subjects.. English was the official vehicle and the
magic formula to colonial elitism.’</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">6. ‘I started writing in Gikuyu language in 1977 after
seventeen years of involvement in Afro-European literature, in my case
Afro-English literature... I believe that my writing in Gikuyu language, a
Kenyan language, an African language, is part and parcel of the
anti-imperialist struggles of Kenyan and African peoples.’</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 6.5pt; line-height: 150%; position: relative; top: -3.5pt;">8</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> These kind of intensive responses are not familiar in
Indian context. On the contrast, even from the colonial period, some of the
Indian writers have been accused of trying to improve their status by working
more on standard British English. The comment made by W. B. Yeats on famous
Indian writer, Rabindranath Tagore, is an example. Yeats, who had written the
well-known introduction to Tagore’s Gitanjali in 1912, wrote in a letter to his
friend later,</span></div>
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Damn
Tagore...because he thought it more important to see and know English than to
be a great poet, he brought out sentimental rubbish and wrecked his reputation.
Tagore does not know English, no Indians know English. Nobody can write music
and style in a language not learned in childhood and ever since the language of
his thought.<span style="font-size: 6.5pt; line-height: 150%; position: relative; top: -3.5pt;">9</span> </div>
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Another
example is <i>The Autobiography of an
Unknown Indian</i> (1951) written by Nirad C Chaudhuri, who wished to be an
English man rather than Indian. Some years ago Salman Rushdie dismissed the
regional literature as ‘provincial’, when he edited a book of Indian
Literature. Even if his generalized statement cannot be taken for granted, this
attitude reflects the colonialist view of an Indian writer. In another way, one
can identify this so-called provincialism as a part of cultural resistance.
However, most of these works in regional literature are neither translated nor
identified by international readers.</div>
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In
the post colonial period, Indian English writers are trying to find their own
space for their own sake. Even when they try to narrate a regional theme, most
of them have a Eurocentric attitude. Post colonial concepts like hybridity and
inbetweenness provide a platform for their works. One can easily apply these
concepts to catagorise Indian English writings. Moreover that works lack an
indigenous approach or regional flavour. Let me conclude this paper by quoting
some lines of Madhavikkutty/Kamala Das/Kamala Surayya, who faced this
inbetweenness in language, region and religion:</div>
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...I am Indian, very brown, born in</div>
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Malabar, I speak three languages, write in</div>
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Two, dream in one....</div>
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....Why not let me speak in</div>
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Any language I like? The language I speak</div>
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Becomes mine, its distortions, its queernesses</div>
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All mine, mine alone. It is half English, half</div>
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Indian, funny perhaps, but it is honest,</div>
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It is as human as I am human, don’t</div>
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You see?<span style="font-size: 6.5pt; line-height: 150%; position: relative; top: -3.5pt;"> 10</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Notes</div>
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1. <span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">Berman, Marshal, 1982.<i> All That is solid Melts into Air: The
Experience of Modernity</i>, (Newyork: Simon and Schuster), p. 15.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
2. Kachru, Braj, 1986. <i>The Alchemy of English: The
spread, functions and models of non-native Englishes</i> (New York: Pergamon), p. 12.</div>
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3. (Kalu, Anthonia C. (edi), 2010. ‘introduction’, <i>The Rienner Anthology of
African Literature</i> (New Delhi:
Viva), p. 10.</div>
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4. <span style="color: black;">Orizet, John (edi.),
1988. <i>Anthology of French poetry</i> (Paris:
Larousse), p. 623. </span></div>
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5. “A pidgin arises in the first place to to fulfill
restricted communication needs between people who do not share a common
language.” See Jenkins, Jennifer, 2003. <i>World Englishes: A resourse book for
students </i>(London and New York: Routledge), p. 10. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
6. Patke, Rajiv. S. 2007. <i>Postcolonial Poetry in
English </i>(New Delhi: Oxford), p. 96.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
7. Thiong'o, Ngugi wa, <span style="color: black;">2004.
<i>Decolonising the mind: the politics of language in African literature</i>, (London, James Currey), p.
xvi.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">8. Ibid. p.9-22.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">9. Quoted in Thayil, Jeet
(edi.), 2008. ‘One language, seperated by the sea, </span><i>60 Indian Poets</i>,
(New Delhi:
Penguin, p. xii.</div>
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10. Das, Kamala, 2004. ‘An Introduction’, <i>Summer
in Calcutta</i>
(Kottayam: D. C. Books), p. 62.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<b>Some suggestions for enhancing English education
in Kerala</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
1. The history of Colonialism in Various countries,
with special reference to India
and Kerala, should be included in the Syllabus of English.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
2. Malayalam literary works, like <i>Indulekha</i>,
‘Ente bhasha’, ‘macaulayyude makal’, ‘Kuttippuram palam’ which depicted the
conflicts of Colinial modernism, will help the students to identify the
politics of language in the cultural context of Kerala.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
3. Possibility of pidgins and creoles should be
explored in a multilingual society like India, to improve communication
with different language communities.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
4. Students must be aware of the cultural elitism of
Standard English in Indian cultural context. They are expected to analyze the
Indian English dialects through a linguistic approach rather than grammatical. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
5. We can see the use of dialects and regional languages
as a part of cultural resistance in other places. So the use of Indian English
dialects should be viewed in a cultural aspect. Let the people speak, let them
express. Let them write in a language that they wish. Do not use the criteria
of Standard English to read them. </div>
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6. Indian language communities are not communicating
one another much, for the lack of a common language. We do not even know the
culture and literature of our neighboring states. Indian English can contribute
a lot to solve this problem. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
7. All major literary works of regional languages
should be translated to English. Two-way translations, from English to the
regional languages as well as from regional languages to English, should be
included in the curriculum. The students must learn translation theories and
practice.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
Dr.<b> </b>Manoj Kuroor</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
Department
of Malayalam</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
N. S.
S. Hindu
College</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
Changanacherry.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
</div>
</div>മനോജ് കുറൂര്http://www.blogger.com/profile/14574430239097887833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35129931.post-40143826917057915762009-04-13T11:54:00.000-07:002010-12-08T05:06:29.774-08:00<p align="center"><strong><span style="color:#660000;"><span style="font-size:130%;">THE RHYTHMS OF KERALA</span><br />A Cultural Study with Special Reference to Ekachuzhati Rhythms</span></strong></p><p align="center"><strong><span style="color:#660000;">Dr. Manoj Kuroor</span></strong></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#993399;">[Published in <em>Tapasam: A Quarterly Journal for Kerala Studies</em>, Vol. I/Issue 3/January 2006]<br /></span><br /><span style="color:#000066;">In spite of being a small geographical area, Kerala is enriched by hundreds of traditional art forms. It may be the result of the convergence and conflicts of various religions, castes and races that have immigrated to this land through several centuries for various historical reasons. This hybridity of cultures had its reflection in the literature and artistic devices used in these art forms. The lack of historical evidence is a real hazard that compels us to refrain from making objective statements about the formulation of most of these art forms.<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>Classification of Rhythms<br /></strong><br />In a conventional manner, these art forms are divided into two genres i.e. Classical and folk. Kathakali, Koodiyattam and Krishnanattam belong to the classical genre1 while Theyyam, Padayani, Mudiyettu, Poorakkali, Kanyarkali, Kummattikkali, Margamkali, Dufmuttu, Sanghakkali etc. are grouped as folk.2 In a cultural perspective, it is important to note that these art forms are marked by the presence of numerous varieties of rhythms (talas). In other words, rhythm is the dominant factor among the artistic devices used in each and every traditional art form. A cultural study of these rhythms will strongly denounce the conventional classification of rhythms into classical/folk. Unless the adjective ‘folk’ helps to announce the existence and identity of some of these art forms by differentiating them from the classical tradition, even the classical art forms themselves were derived from the same folk tradition through the methods of stylization or standardization, the classification will allow the classical art forms to remain ‘pure’ and elite.<br />As far as the presence of rhythm is concerned, the same rhythm is used in various art forms and rhythms belonging to different systems of rhythm are practised in one art form despite the conventional division into classical/folk. A scholar and practitioner of these rhythms, the famous Arjunanritham artist, late Kurichi P. S. Kumaran said in a private conversation: “There are no classical rhythms; all rhythms are folk.”3 This statement offers the possibility of comparison with the observation made by Edward W. Said on Western classical music: “. . . I accept the existence of a relatively distinct entity called ‘Western classical music,’ although at a later occasion perhaps I’d like to show that it is far from coherent or monolithic and that when it is talked about as if it meant only one thing it is being constructed with non-western, non classical musics and cultures very much in mind.”4<br />Every art form flourishes in the cultural continuum of its own region while the regional culture is being nourished by the presence of these art forms. Though sometimes the cultural factors inherent in these arts are not so visible on the surface, it is possible to elucidate them by analyzing the techniques or devices - like rhythms, tunes, gestures and footsteps - used in them. In the works of Kunjan Nambiar, the 18th century poet and exponent of the art form Thullal, who had traveled and lived in many parts of Kerala, we can see the rhythms belonging to different regional cultures.5 He used the rhythms that consist of various systems of rhythm and defined some of them, even though he employed the criterion of classical music.<br />The ancient books on Indian music had divided the rhythms - generally music - into two categories. They regarded the rhythms belonging to a pan-Indian tradition as Marga Talas and rhythms practised in different regions as Desi Talas.6 But Marga is divine and only used by Devas, the deities and Gandharvas, the semi Gods.7 Still all the rhythms that were in practice, whether classical or folk, belonged to ‘human’ art forms demarcated as Desi! So many Desi systems of rhythms such as 120 talas, 101 talas, 108 talas, and Suladi system of 35 talas are some examples.8 Even the classical music and classical dance use these systems of rhythms.<br />Carnatic music, the most dominant form of South Indian classical music, has been practising Suladi system since the 16th century. This system consists of seven main talas. Dhruvam, Matyam, Roopakam, Champa, Triputa, Ata and Eka. Each of them has five divisions (Jaties): Thryasram, Chaturasram, Khandam, Misram and Sankirnam. Then the total number of talas is 7x5=35.9 All other ancient rhythms are replaced by these rhythms for the eminent scholar-writers like Purandaradasa, Thyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri had written several compositions in these talas. The wide acceptance of these compositions and rhythms in the modern age and the tendency among the traditional scholars to measure all other rhythms by using the criterion of this system put aside other rhythms practiced in several regional art forms as well as the rhythms belonging to ancient systems.<br />The domination of a single system is not only a technical fallacy but also a question of cultural power. It gives a universal definition to rhythm and determines the other rhythms as synonyms or parodies of the dominant rhythm by means of some peripheral similarities between them. For example, some rhythms, even if they belong to different systems, have the same number of matras or same duration. Chathurasra jathi dhruva tala of Suladi system and Marma Tala of Ekachuzhati system have the same duration of 14 matras. A traditional scholar of classical music may identify the Marma tala as Chathurasrajathi Dhruva Tala irrespective of the differences between them.<br />The rhythms of every art form must be analyzed by placing them in their cultural context and the conventional approaches that could lead to a cultural domination of any aesthetic ideas or ideologies must be resisted for Kerala has been a land of diversity- the diversity of social groups as well as rhythm structures. The presence of rhythms belonging to various systems such as 5 rhythms described in Natyasastra (e.g. Chachatputam and Shatpitaputrakam used in Arjunanritham and Garudanthukkam), 120 rhythms (Vishamam used in Thekkan Chendamelam and Mallatala practised in Koodiyattam), 108 rhythms (Karika used in Sastampattu and Thullal), 35 rhythms of Suladi system (Triputa used in Kathakali, Thullal, Koodiyattam and Krishnanattam), and Ekachuzhati rhythms (used in Mudiyettu, Padayani, Theyyam and Sastampattu) is evident in the art forms of Kerala. In addition to them several rhythms that belong to none of these systems (e.g. Ganapathy, Lakshmi, Kundanachi, Mutakkutalam), various unnamed rhythms (e.g. the rhythm for etuthukalasam of Vishnumurti in Theyyam) and a large amount of orally rendered rhythms (used in Poorakkali) are being performed in them.10 When a rhythm belonging to a particular system is absorbed by an art form, it transforms its structure, so that it could be appropriate for the aesthetic or cultural need of that art form. To enter into the complicated realm of these rhythms, it will be helpful to understand the relatively simple structure of Ekachuzhati rhythms.<br />Ekachuzhati system consists of seven main rhythms i.e. Ekam, Roopam, Champata, Karika, Panchari, Marmam and Kumbham.11Balyutbhavam Sitankan Thullal of Kunchan Nambiar refers to the first two of them, Ekam and Roopam.12 Harineeswayamvaram Thullal of the same poet has given the examples of Karika, Kumbham and Marmam.13<br />The practice of Ekachuzhati rhythms is limited neither to the performances of Arjunanritham nor Thullal. They are being used in various artistic contexts by the artists who are often unaware of this system, even though the names and structures of rhythms are almost same. But the fact that these rhythms used in different art forms have an order in position and they are unified in a simple method, unknown to the contemporary cultural scenario, will be helpful to an eager student to raise some questions in relation with rhythm and culture.<br />Sangitachudamani defines rhythm (tala) as “tala signifies measurement of time through the matras produced by (sounding and unsounding) actions.”14 There are various methods to perform rhythm viz. actions by hand like slapping and fingering, oral rendering and tonal variations made either on a percussion instrument or on a symbol. These devices are important for defining a particular rhythm. The same rhythm may be performed through these different devices, though, in a subtle way of analysis, the differences may compel us to consider each form of them as unique entities. Here I am trying to define these rhythms by using two basic actions: sounded and unsounded. Matra is a term indicating the time taken for each action. In Ekachuzhati System, the time taken for a sounded action is similar to that of an unsounded action. In a way Ekachuzhati rhythm system is a threshold to the perplexed realm of various rhythms as well as their formulations and combinations.<br /><br /><strong>Definitions and applications</strong><br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>Ekachuzhati Rhythms<br /></strong><br />(Digit-Number of beats. ‘1’ indicates first beat, ‘2’ indicates second beat- so that. X-Gap)<br /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000066;">1 Eka Tala 1x<br /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000066;">2 Roopa Tala 12x<br /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000066;">3. Champata Tala 123x<br /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000066;">4. Karika Tala 1234x<br /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000066;">5. Panchari Tala 12345x<br /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000066;">6. Marma Tala 1x12x123x1234x<br /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000066;">7. Kumbha Tala 123451/2x1231\2x1x1x12x<br /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000066;"><br /></span><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>Eka Tala<br /></strong><br />Eka Tala is a simple rhythm of one beat (sounded action) and one gap (unsounded action). When the rhythm repeats, the gap is taking place between two beats. This rhythm is used almost in every art form of Kerala such as Arjunanritham, Garudanthukkam, Thayampaka, Theeyattu, Theyyam, Thitampunritham, Koodiyattam, Krishnanattam and Kathakali. This rhythm has some similarities with the Eka Tala of 108 rhythm system.<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>Roopa Tala<br /></strong><br />Roopa Tala has a form of two beats followed by a gap. This rhythm is used in Garudanthukkam, Arjunanritham and Theyyam. In contemporary Carnatic Music, this rhythm is practised instead of Chaturasrajathi Rupaka Tala, which has a form of one Drutham and one Lakhu.<br /><br /><strong>Champata Tala</strong><br /><br />Champata is a pattern of three beats succeeded by one gap. This is a popular rhythm for it is used in several art forms like Kathakali, Krishnanattam, Koodiyattam, Chendamelam, Thullal, Theyyam, Theeyattu, Padayani, Sastampattu, Maranpattu, Garudanthukkam, Arjunanritham, Mudiyettu and Mudiyeduppu. There are so many different patterns used even in a single art form, though the name is same. For example, in Kathakali, in addition to the form mentioned above, some other patterns are used.<br /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000066;">First tempo: 1 x x x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x 1 2 3 4 5 x x x 1 x 1 x 1 2 x 1 2 x 1 2 (32 matras.)<br /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000066;">Second tempo: 1xxx1x12345xxx12x12x12 (underline indicates the variation of speed i.e.twice that of the other parts.) (16 matras)<br /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000066;">Third tempo: 1234567x ( 8 matras)<br /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000066;">Fourth tempo: 123x ( 4 matras)<br /><br />In Chendamelam, this rhythm has four tempos with 64, 32, 16 and 8 matras respectively. This rhythm is used in Mudiyeduppu in a Vaithari (oral rendering) form as under:<br /><br />Ta x ka x ta x ka x kitatakitarikitata x<br />Ta x ka x ta x ka x kitatakitarikitata x<br />Ta x ka x ta x ka x kitatakitarikitata x<br />Ta x ka x ta x ka x kitatakitarikitata x<br />Ta x ka x ta x ka x ta x ka x ta x ka x<br />Ta x ka x ta x ka x ta x dhim x kitatakitarikitata x (underline indicatesthe variation of speed i.e. twice that of the other parts.)<br /></span></p><p align="justify"><span style="color:#000066;">In this manner, Champata has different forms in different contexts of performance.<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>Karika Tala<br /></strong><br />Karika Tala is a pattern of four beats and one gap and is used in Sastampattu, Thullal, Padayani and Arjunanritham. Kunchan Nambiar gives the definition of this rhythm in Harineeswayamvaram Thullal in terms of classical music and in that manner the rhythmic pattern is Lakhu, Lakhu, Lakhu and Guru.15 If it is compared to the existing form, we can translate Lakhu as one beat and Guru as a unit of one beat and one gap. There is a rhythm with the same name in 108 rhythm system but it is different in matras as well as in structure.<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>Panchari Tala<br /></strong><br />Panchari Tala is in the form of five beats followed by one gap. This rhythm is practised in Chendamelam, Kathakali, Krishnanattam, Thullal, Mudiyettu, Mudiyeduppu, Theeyattu, Arjunanritham, Thitampunritham and Theyyam. This rhythm is very popular in Kerala for Panchari Melam, a collective performance by more than a hundred artists on various musical instruments, prominently on Chenda, a percussion instrument with a tumultuous sound. Panchari Tala performed in it with five tempos by progressively accelerating from the first tempo of 96 matras to the fifth tempo of 6 matras. The second, third and fourth tempos have 48, 24 and 12 matras respectively. Panchari Melam represents the standardization that could have happened to a simple rhythm. The rhythm pattern of five tempos performed in Panchari Melam is given below:16<br /><br />First tempo: 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br />1 x 1 x 1 x x x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br />1 x 1 x 1 x x x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br />1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br />1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br />1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br />1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br />1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br />1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br />1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br />1 x x x 1 x x x 1 x x x 1 x x 1<br />x x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br /><br />Second tempo: 1 x 1 x 1 x x x 1 x x x 1 x x x<br />1 x x x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br />1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br />1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br />1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x 1<br />x x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br /><br />Third tempo: 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br />1 x 1 x 1 x x x 1 x 1 x 1 x x 1<br />x x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br /></span></p><p align="left"><span style="color:#000066;">Fourth tempo: 1 x 1 x 1 x x x 1 x x x<br />1 x x x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br /><br />Fifth tempo: 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x x x<br /><br />The bold digits indicate the open beats and normal digits represent stifled beats on a Valanthala, a percussion instrument used to keep the rhythm patterns and tempo.<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>Marma Tala<br /></strong><br />Marma Tala is a combination of Ekam, Roopam, Champata and Karika, the first four rhythms of this system. The pattern of this rhythm is one beat, one gap; two beats, one gap; three beats, one gap; and four beats, one gap. The exclusive structure of this rhythm gives us a new idea about the combination of rhythms; hence the Ekachuzhati rhythms themselves are rhythms as well as the units of creating new rhythms. This rhythm is used in Arjunanritham, Padayani, Thullal, Sastampattu and Theyyam.<br /><br /><strong>Kumbha Tala</strong><br /><br />Kumbha Tala, the last one of Ekachuzhati system, is different from the above mentioned rhythms in form and order: therefore it gives some notions about the formulation of rhythm system which becomes more complicated in their structure. This rhythm is used in Thullal, Padayani, Arjunanritham, Garudanthukkam and Sastampattu. The orally rendered form of this rhythm, which is used in Sastampattu, is given below:<br /><br />Thi thi thi thi thithei x thi thi thithei x thei x thei x thi thei<br /><br />This rhythm offers a way to enter a field of orally rendered (Vaithari) rhythms which are huge in number.<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>Some other rhythms<br /></strong><br /></span><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>Champa Tala<br /></strong><br />Despite of a common name Champa, this rhythm is used with various patterns in various art forms. This rhythm is used in Chendamelam, Kathakali and Thullal in the form of four beats, one gap; two beats, one gap and one beat, one gap (1234x12x1x). The pattern of this rhythm in Padayani is different: one beat, one gap; two beats, one gap and four beats, one gap (1x12x1234)17. Yakshaganam, an art form performed in the far northern parts of Kerala employed this rhythm in the form of five beats, one gap and three beats, one gap (12345x123x). Each of these forms has the similarity in the number of Matras i.e. ten.<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>Atantha Tala<br /></strong><br />Atantha Tala is used in many art forms of Kerala, like Thullal, Kathakali, Jeevithanritham, Chendamelam, Sastampattu, Theyyam, Thitampunritham, Padayani and Koodiyattam. One form of rhythm is four beats, one gap; four beats, one gap; one beat, one gap and one beat, one gap (1234x1234x1x1x). Different rhythms which share the common name Atantha like Valyatantha and Chattatantha are practised in Padayani.18<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>Lakshmi Tala<br /></strong><br />Lakshmi is a Vaithari rhythm which is practised in Padayani, Thullal, Arjunanritham, Ayyappantheeyattu, Koodiyattam, Sastampattu and Garudanthukkam. The form of this rhythm is shown below:<br /><br />Thi thi thei x thiki tha thei x thi thei thikithei thitheyitha thikitha thei x x x<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>Kundanachi Tala<br /></strong><br />Kunchan Nambiar has given a definition to Kundanachi Tala but it is rarely used in contemporary performances. It has a Vaithari form as under:<br /><br />Tha dhim x dhim x tha dhim x dhim x dhim x Tha dhim x dhim x tha dhim x dha x tha x<br /><br />This rhythm is used for Jeevithanritham and Chendamelam especially in southern parts of Kerala.<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000066;"><strong>Ganapathy Tala<br /></strong><br />Many rhythms are used in various art forms under the common name Ganapathy. This is used in the beginning of a performance as a ritual for an unbroken conclusion since Ganapathy is considered in Hindu mythology as the deity of impediment. The form of this rhythm in Sastampattu is given below:<br /><br />Thei x x x thei x x x thei x x x ki ta ta ki tha x ku thi x ku tha ka thim x tham x<br />Dhi x dhi x dhim x ga ne x ka dan x tham x ki ta tha ki tha kkam thi mmi thei x<br /><br /><strong>Combined rhythms</strong><br /><br />As mentioned earlier, Ekachuzhati rhythms can be used as units to create new rhythms. There are some rhythms performed in different art forms which may perhaps identified as the combination of Ekachuzhati rhythms. Roopamchampata, a combination of Roopa Tala and Champata Tala (12x123x) is used in Sastampattu and in the Chendamelam of southern Kerala. Marmampanchari, a blend of Marma Tala and Panchari Tala is practised in Jeevithanritham (in the form 1x12x123x12345x1234) and in Chendamelam of southern Kerala (in the pattern 1x12x123x1234x12345x). The combination of Ekachuzhati rhythms with some other rhythms like Champa-Panchari of Jeevithanritham (1234x12345x12x1x) or Panchari-Champa of southern Chendamelam (12345x1234x12x1x) and Panchari-Atantha of Southern Chendamelam (12345x1234x1234x1x1x) are present in the vast area of the systems of rhythms.<br />The study of these rhythms arises some questions about the conventional classifications as well as the interconnections between various rhythms. The awareness of the association of the rhythms with the regions of their performance urges one to rethink about the conventional methodologies of aesthetics.<br /><br /></span><span style="color:#000066;"><em><strong>Notes<br /></strong></em><br />1.See, for example, A. K. Nambiar, “NatanKalakalkku Oramukham”, Keralathile Natankalakal (Kottayam: National Book Stall, 1989):23.<br />2. See Folk Arts Directory, ed. Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi (Trichur: Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, 1986): 113, 135,200,170, 42, 61, 196, 240, 224.<br />3. An Interview with Kurichi P. S. Kumaran on 19. 06. 1995, Manoj Kuroor (Unpublished audio Cassette).<br />4. Edward W. Said, “Introduction”, Musical Elaborations (London: Vintage, 1992): xiv.<br />5. See Kunchan Nambiarute Thullalkathakal, ed. P. K. Sivasankara Pillai (Trichur: Kerala Sahithya Academi, 1976).<br />6. Sarngadeva, Samgitaratnakara Vol.I, ed. S. Subrahmanya Sastri (Madras: The Adyar Library and Research Centre, 1992):17.<br />7. M. R. Gautam, Evolution of Raga and Tala in Indian Music (New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, 1993): 35-37,221-22.<br />8. Arun Kumar Sen, Indian Concept of Rhythm (New Delhi: Kanishka Publishers, 1994): 59-60, 115-19, 141-64.<br />9. A. K. Raveendranadh, Dakshinendian Sangeetham (Thiruvananthapuram: D. C. P., Govt. of Kerala, 2004): 56.<br />10. The rhythms mentioned in this essay were collected from these artists:<br />Kurchi P. S. Kumaran: Arjunanritham<br />Neelamperoor P. Ramakrishnan: Garudanthukkam percussion<br />Kuravilangad M. N. Bhaskaran Nair: Sastampattu<br />Katammanitta Vasudevan Pillai: Padayani<br />Kuroor Vasudevan Nampoothiry: Kathakali Percussion<br />Kannan Peruvannan: Theyyam<br />Kanathoor K. V. Kannan Vaidyar: Theyyam<br />Cheruvathoor Rajan Panikkar: Theyyam percussion<br />Balussery P. Janaki Amma: Maranpattu<br />Harippad K. Vishnu Nampoothiry: Jeevithanritham<br />Harippad S. Sivadasan: Jeevithanritham percussion<br />Kaviyoor Sadasivan: Thekkan Chendamelam<br />Kandalloor Unnikrishnan: Thekkan Chendamelam<br />Bakel Sreerama Aggithaya: Thidampunritham<br />Keezhillam Gopalakrishna Marar: Mudiyettu<br />Vazhappally Krishna Pillai: Mudiyeduppu<br />Kanjangad Jayan: Poorakkali<br />Kasaragod Gopalakrishna Bhatt: Yakshaganam.<br />11. The primary notions of these rhythms are given by Kurichi P.S. Kumaran, an Arjunanritham artist. Interviews and performances of some other artists helped me to get a lucid idea about these rhythms.<br />12. Kunchan Nambiar, “Balyutbhavam”, Arupathu Thullalkkadhakal, ed. P. K. Narayana pillai, Cheppattu Achyutha Warrier (Kollam: Sreeramavilasam Press, 1958): 105.<br />13. Kunchan Nambiar, “Harineeswayamvaram”, Arupathu Thullalkkadhakal: 76-78.<br />14. M. R. Gautam, Evolution of Raga and Tala in Indian Music: 228<br />15. Kunchan Nambiar, “Harineeswayamvaram”, Arupathu Thullalkkadhakal: 77.<br />16. See P. S. Warrier, “Pancharimelam”, Keraleeyamelakala (Thiruvananthapuram: D. C. P., Govt of Kerala, 1992): 45-99.<br />A. S. N. Nambisan, “Pancharimelam”, Thalangal Thalavadyangal (Thrissur: Kerala Sahitya Academi, 2000): 155-56.<br />17. Katammanitta Vasudevan Pillai, Padeniyute Jeevathalam (Thiruvananthapuram: State Institute of Languages, 1997): 105.<br />18. Katammanitta Vasudevan Pillai, Padeniyute Jeevathalam: 107-13. </span></p>മനോജ് കുറൂര്http://www.blogger.com/profile/14574430239097887833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35129931.post-1159774728578543882006-10-02T00:38:00.000-07:002006-10-15T11:26:04.026-07:00<a href="http://manojkuroor.blogspot.com/2006/09/welcome-my-friend-i-am-interested-in.html#links">manoj kuroor</a><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manoj_Kuroor">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manoj_Kuroor</a></span><br /><span style="color:#990000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#990000;">RHYTHMS OF KERALA: <em>A Cultural Study</em></span><br /><a href="http://www.geocities.com/manojkuroor/?20062">http://www.geocities.com/manojkuroor/?<span style="color:#3366ff;">20062</span></a><br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">കലയും ഗണിതവും: സൗന്ദര്യശാസ്ത്രത്തിലെ ആത്മീയവാദം</span><br /><a href="http://www.moonnamidam.com/8/kr.htm">http://www.moonnamidam.com/8/kr.htm</a>മനോജ് കുറൂര്http://www.blogger.com/profile/14574430239097887833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35129931.post-1159389065243475852006-09-27T13:24:00.000-07:002008-05-29T09:11:28.797-07:00<span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;"><strong>PUBLISHED ARTICLES</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#993300;">(i) Malayalam</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#336666;">1. <span style="color:#993399;">‘Thalasamudravum Keralathile Thalangalum’</span>, Bhashasahithi (Journal of Research and Literary Studies, University of Kerala), Thiruvananthapuram, 1996. </span><br /><span style="color:#336666;">2. <span style="color:#cc33cc;">‘Vazhakkangal Bhedicha Sangeetham’</span>, Bhashaposhini, Kottayam, October, 2000. </span><br /><span style="color:#336666;">3. <span style="color:#cc33cc;">‘Kaliyachan Enna Kathakali’</span>, Kavithayute Radhotsavam, State Institute of Languages, Thiruvananthapuram, 2002. </span><br /><span style="color:#336666;">4. <span style="color:#cc33cc;">‘Vazhi Vettunnavarotu, Vazhipokkarotu’</span>, Bhashaposhini, Kottayam, September, 2002. </span><br /><span style="color:#336666;">5. <span style="color:#cc33cc;">‘Thalangalum Avayute Vargeekaranavum’</span>, Bhashaposhini, Kottayam, December, 2002. </span><br /><span style="color:#336666;">6. <span style="color:#cc33cc;">‘Kottitheernnathum Kottathe Poyathum’</span>, Kalakaumudi, Thiruvananthapuram, December, 2002. </span><br /><span style="color:#336666;">7. <span style="color:#cc33cc;">‘Puzhakal Theernnu Pokumo?’</span>, Kalakaumudi, Thiruvananthapuram, October, 2003. </span><br /><span style="color:#336666;">8. <span style="color:#cc33cc;">‘Pracheenathamizhakavum Keraleeyathalangalum’</span>, Keli (Journal of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi), Thrissur, April, 2004. </span><br /><span style="color:#336666;">9. <span style="color:#cc33cc;">‘Jeevithathinte Ganitham’</span>, Kalakaumudi, Thiruvananthapuram, February, 2006. </span><br /><span style="color:#336666;">10. <span style="color:#cc33cc;">‘Kalayum Ganithavum: Saundaryasasthrathile Atmeeyavadam’</span>, Ethirdisha, 2006. </span><br /><span style="color:#993300;"></span><br /><span style="color:#993300;">ii) English</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#006600;">1. <span style="color:#cc33cc;">‘The Rhythms of Kerala: A Cultural Study with Special Reference to Ekachuzhati Rhythms’</span>, Tapasam (Journal of the Association for Comparative Studies), Changanassery, 2006.</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#330099;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#330099;">PUBLISHED POEMS</span><br /><span style="color:#006600;"></span><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="color:#006600;">1.<span style="color:#ffcc00;"> </span><span style="color:#cc6600;"><strong>Akshahridayam</strong></span> Bhashaposhini 1993<br />2.<span style="color:#cc6600;"> <strong>Nadabrahmam</strong></span> Keralakavitha 1993<br />3. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Thrithalakkesavan</span></strong> Bhashaposhini 1997<br />4. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Pakarnnattam</span></strong> Malayalam Weekly 1997<br />5. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Charithrayanam</span></strong> Keralakavitha 1998<br />6.<span style="color:#cc6600;"> <strong>Alroopangal</strong></span> Bhashaposhini 1998<br />7. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Pranayamallatha Kalam</span></strong> Malayalam Weekly 1998<br />8.<strong><span style="color:#cc0000;"> </span><span style="color:#cc6600;">Anchamathe Asramam</span></strong> Mathrubhumi Weekly 1998<br />9. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Ooru chuttunna Puzhayum Njangalum</span></strong> Malayalam Weekly 1998<br />10. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Immini Balya Onnu</span></strong> Malayalam Weekly 1998<br />11. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Poonoolkkurukkukal</span></strong> Mathrubhumi Weekly 1998<br />12. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Muthachante Visvadarsanam</span></strong> Madhyamam Weekly 1999<br />13. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Nirmala Tlkiesinekkurihu Oru Kshudrakavitha</span></strong> Malayalam Weekly 1999<br />14.<span style="color:#cc6600;"> <strong>Pooraprabandham</strong></span> Bhashaposhini 1999<br />15.<span style="color:#cc6600;"> <strong>Kottayam-Kannur Svakarya Service</strong></span> Malayalam Weekly 2000<br />16. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Palathe Kalayakkunnathile Chila<br />Sankathikaprasnangal</span></strong> Keralakavitha 2000<br />17<span style="color:#cc6600;">. </span><strong><span style="color:#cc0000;"><span style="color:#cc6600;">Poorappattu</span> </span></strong>Malayalam Weekly 2000<br />18. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Vayana</span></strong> Sahityalokam 2000<br />19. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Uthamapurushan Kadha Parayumpol</span></strong> Bhashaposhini 2000<br />20.<span style="color:#cc6600;"> <strong>Keechakavadham</strong></span> Kalakaumudi Weekly 2000<br />21. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Vivarthanathil Nashtappedunnathu</span></strong> Malayalam Weekly 2000<br />22.<span style="color:#cc6600;"> <strong>Crossing</strong></span> Malayalam Weekly 2001<br />23. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Katamozhikkal</span></strong> Kalakaumudi Weekly 2001<br />24. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Kanneerum Kinavum</span></strong> Malayalam Weekly 2001<br />25. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Pradesikam</span></strong> Keralakavitha 2002<br />26. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Vinodayatra</span></strong> Bhashaposhini 2002<br />27. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Puzha Katakkumpol</span></strong> Mathrubhumi weekly 2002<br />28.<strong><span style="color:#cc0000;"> </span><span style="color:#cc6600;">Varanthadampatyam</span></strong> Malayalam Weekly 2002<br />29. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Celebration</span></strong> Malayalam Weekly 2002<br />30. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Oru Kaviyute Kalyanarathriyil</span></strong> Keralakavitha 2003<br />31. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Jeevithathile Azhukkuchalnottakkarante<br />Sthithivivaranam</span></strong> Malayalam Weekly 2003<br />32. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Incomplete Project Adhava Kala Jeevitham Thanne</span></strong> Bhashaposhini 2003<br />33.<span style="color:#cc6600;"> </span><strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">‘Enikkoru Svapnamuntu’ Enna<br />Parasyachithrathinte Rantu Vivaranabhagangal</span></strong> Keralakavitha 2004<br />34.<span style="color:#cc6600;"> <strong>Enna</strong></span> Malayalam Weekly 2004<br />35. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Pazhaya Veettile Pattu</span></strong> Malayalam Weekly 2005<br />36. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Thathri</span></strong> Madhyamam Weekly 2005<br />37. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Matsyam</span></strong> Madhyamam Weekly 2006<br />38.<span style="color:#cc6600;"> <strong>koote Patunnavar</strong></span> Malayalam Weekly 2006<br />39. <strong><span style="color:#cc6600;">Location</span></strong> Kalakaumudi Weekly 2006<br />40.<span style="color:#cc6600;"> <strong>Barbie</strong></span> Madhyamam Weekly 2006</span></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#990000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#990000;">Awards and recognitions</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#006600;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#006600;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#006600;">Kunjupillai memorial award for young poets for the poem <strong><em><span style="color:#330099;">Thrithalakkesavan</span></em></strong>, in the year 1997.</span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc66cc;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Gadadharan Nampoothiry memorial award for the poem <strong><em><span style="color:#330099;">Kulamthekal</span></em></strong>, in 2004</span>. </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;">S.B.T. Poetry award for the book <strong><em><span style="color:#330099;">Uthamapurushan Katha Parayumpol</span></em></strong>, in 2005.</span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;"><span style="color:#663333;">Kanakasree award of Kerala Sahitya Academy for the book </span><span style="color:#ff0000;">Coma</span>, <span style="color:#663333;">in 2007</span>.</span></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div>മനോജ് കുറൂര്http://www.blogger.com/profile/14574430239097887833noreply@blogger.com0