THRISSUR: A Gandhian, a writer at the age of 19, a World War II veteran and finally a communist. This sums up the life journey of Kovilan, aka Vattamparambil Velappan Ayyappan, one of the most prolific writers Malayalam has ever seen.
Re-reading his books now, the literati of Kerala consider Kovilan the first pan-Indian writer from the state, though not much recognised during his lifetime.
“Re-reading Kovilan, one will understand that his writings were always a step ahead of his times. Even before ‘Thattakam’ created waves, Kovilan had published several books but never came to the limelight, as he was not recognised by the literary critics of the time. Post-retirement period ripened the writer in him, and it was during this time that he authored his classic ‘Thattakam,’” said K A Mohandas, who shared a close but brief association with Kovilan, as both came from Kandanassery near Guruvayur.
Born to Vattamparambil Shanku Velappan and Kotakkattil Kunjandi Kali on July 9, 1923, Kovilan did his primary education at Excelsior School, Kandanassery, and Nenmani Higher Elementary School. Later he joined Sahitya Deepika Sanskrit College, run by P A Kuriakose, but didn’t complete his education.
Deeply influenced by Gandhian thoughts during the peak of the Freedom Struggle, Ayyappan ran out of school after hearing the news of Gandhiji’s arrest during the Quit India Movement. Though he could have rejoined the classes by submitting a letter of apology, he didn’t. However, by that time, he had already written three novels.
Driven by the poverty at home, he joined the Royal Indian Navy during World War II. He returned home after quitting the job in 1946 and completed SSLC and worked as a stenographer for Joseph Mundassery.
Later, he joined Indian Army and spent about five years in the Himalayas, during which he met writers like Nandanar and Parappurath. He also served as an NCC instructor at IIT Kanpur and retired in 1968.
Considered one of the pioneers in contemporary Indian literature, Kovilan shared deep friendships with doyens like Basheer and Cherukad.
“Unlike others, in his military writings, he portrayed the life of soldiers in its reality. While for people outside, the army is a symbol of the nation’s pride, it had its hierarchies and systems, which sometimes sounded absurd to the common people. Especially today when the army is tied to ideas like nationalism and politics, re-reading Kovilan’s writings does make a connection with the present generation,” said Mohandas.
‘Thottangal’ is one of his most outstanding works and is noted for its depiction of rural villages, customs and beliefs. “Generations and their stories are narrated through the thoughts of a woman who is facing death. The representation of women and their plight in his era also found a place in his writings,” added Mohandas.
K V Subrahmanian, who is part of the International Kovilan Study Group, recollected that Kovilan was not only a writer but also a farmer who literally took a spade and did farming activities.
“The local culture and his experiences were all seen in his writings. While the so-called upper caste writers ruled the world with surnames indicating caste, Kovilan stood different,” he said. He added that during a conversation with him, Kovilan had shared the ill-treatment that low-caste people receive in army camps as people from the upper caste normally adorn superior posts.
“While other novelists wrote fiction with Malayali characters, Kovilan’s characters had names from different languages, representing the state or culture they came from. This made him appealing to the whole country. Moreover, while the novels of his time were usually surrounded by the protagonist, his novel ‘A Minus B’ portrayed all characters as protagonists,” Subrahmanian added.
With the support of Kendra Sahitya Akademi, the International Kovilan Study Group will organise the birth centenary celebration of the writer in Guruvayur on July 9. Marathi Novelist Laxman Gaikwad will inaugurate the event, while M V Narayanan, the vice-chancellor of Sree Sankaracharya University, Kalady, will deliver the Kovilan remembrance speech.