Pravasam

    Have you ever heard about ‘Van-gauge’? Ya,..every body may have atleast the idea that he was a famous artist (painting). There is also a curious thing about him. He was a lover, an extra ordinary one who had cut away his own ears for his love… 

 Then, do you know another ‘Van-gauge’ in Kerala?. He was from Calicut. It was he who cut his left ear by scissors inorder to prove his love ,or to fulfill his love towards Sunanda. After this incident (or accident ?? ) , he married Sunanda who was 12 years elder than him. And you may be now eager to hear his name , right?.Then no more suspense…It was Giri…Kottiyath Giri.. 

 Getting more confused?..Ok, to make it clear, you have to read the novel “pravasam”,written by M.Mukundan. It was really a great experience for me to read that book, and I got so interested in his style of writing. There is a lot of characters, and lot of lives and the narration go through four generations.

  As its name implies, this novel is based on the life of keralites, who had to leave their native place for making a life. One interesting thing about this book is that, S.K pottakkadu plays a major role throughout the story. In the beginning, the narration is given such that, story is told by S.K. and after his death, it was completed by Mukundan. So, here, the author is appearing as himself..

  The novel was officially released on August 23, 2008 by Mr. Binoy Viswam, a minister in the Kerala Government, during the 6th World Malayali Conference held in Singapore on August 22-24, 2008. Fitting, because this conference brought together Malayalis from all parts of the world for a 3-day business/social networking event.


About the author:

   M Mukundan is one of the pioneers of modernity in Malayalam   literature. He was born on 10 September 1942 at Mayyazhi in Mahe, a former French territory in Kerala. He is the current President of Kerala Sahitya Akademi.

    He is known in Kerala as 'Mayyazhiyude Kadhakaaran'(Story teller of Mayyazhi) - Mayyazhi figures in his early works; 'Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil', 'Daivathinte Vikrithikal', 'Appam Chudunna Kunkiyamma' and 'Lesli Achante Kadangal'. 
     His first literary work was a short story published in 1961. Mukundan has so far published 12 novels and 10 collections of short stories. Mukundan's latest four novels 'Adithyanum Radhayum Mattu Chilarum', 'Oru Dalit Yuvathiyude Kadanakatha','Kesavante Vilapangal' and 'Nirtham ' carries a change in structure and approach.

     

     The French government conferred on him the title of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in 1998 for his contribution to literature.