P. K. Narayana Pillai

P. K. Narayana Pillai (21 March 1879 – 10 February 1936), better identified as Sahitya Panchanan P. K. Narayana Pillai, was an Indian literary critic, essayist, scholar, grammarian and poet of Malayalam language. One of the pioneers of literary criticism in Malayalam, he wrote more than 25 books which include Panchananante Vimarssthrayam, a critique of the writings of Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan, Cherusseri Namboothiri and Kunchan Nambiar and two books on Malayalam grammar, Leghuvyakaranam and Vyakarana Pravesika. He was a judge of the High Court of Kerala, a member of the Sree Moolam Popular Assembly and the founder president of the Samastha Kerala Sahithya Parishad.

P. K. Narayana Pillai
Born(1879-03-21)21 March 1879
Ambalappuzha, Alappuzha, Kerala, India
Died10 February 1936(1936-02-10) (aged 56)
Kerala
OccupationLiterary critic, essayist, scholar, grammarian, poet
Notable work
  • Panchananante Vimarsathrayam
  • Leghuvyakaranam
  • Vyakarana Pravesika
  • Sahithya Panchanante Krithikal
Spouse(s)Parukutty Amma
Parent(s)
  • Damodaran Pillai
  • Kunjulakshmi Amma

Biography

P. K. Narayana Pillai was born on 21 March 1879 at Ambalappuzha in the present-day Alappuzha district of the south Indian state of Kerala to Pozhincheri Madathil Damodaran Pillai and Kadamattuveettil Kunjulakshmi Amma.[1] After completing early education in the traditional way under local teachers such as Chami Pillai Asan, Ananthakrishna Iyer and Raman Asan, he did his formal schooling at Ambalappuzha and passed the 10th standard examination in 1896. His college education was in Thiruvananthapuram where he completed his under graduate studies and after securing a bachelor's degree, he served as a teacher at the government high school and later at the government college in Thiruvananthapuram. Simultaneously, he studied law and after earning a degree, he started practicing as a lawyer in 1909. The next year, he was elected to Sree Moolam Popular Assembly.[2] After practicing law in Kottayam, Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapram, he became a judge of the High Court of Kerala in 1929.[1] Later, he also represented Ambalappuzha in the Sree Moolam Popular Assembly. When Samastha Kerala Sahithya Parishad was established in Kochi, he was selected as its founder president.[3]

Narayana Pillai published over 25 books, mostly literary criticism, and he was one of the pioneers of literary criticism in Malayalam.[3] Panchananante Vimarsathrayam, a critique on the writings of Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan,[4] Cherusseri Namboothiri[5] and Kunchan Nambiar was one of his major works and the book was published by Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi.[6] He also wrote two books on Malayalam grammar, Leghuvyakaranam[7] and Vyakarana Pravesika.[8] A four-volume work, Sahitya Panchanante Kruthikal has been published compiling all his major works.[9]

Narayana Pillai, married to Parukutty Amma, died on 10 February 1936 at the age of 56.[1] A library, P. K. Memorial Library, one of the first libraries in Kerala, was established in his honour by P. N. Panicker, known to be the father of library movement in Kerala,[10] with Panicker serving as its secretary and it was here the representatives of 47 libraries in the state of Travancore met on 16 September 1945 to form the Thiruvithaamkoor Granthasala Sangham (All Travancore Library Association), the first library movement in Kerala. Incidentally, P. K. Memorial Library was the first entry in the association's register.[11] Sahitya Akademi has published Narayana Pillai's biography under the title, Sahitya Panchanan P K Narayana Pillai, written by M. Gopalakrishnan Nair, under the series, Bharathiya Sahitya Silpikal (The Makers of Indian Literature).[12]

Selected bibliography
  • K, Narayana Pillai P. (1916). Krishnagatha - Oru Niroopanam (in Malayalam). Kottayam: Central Travancore Bk depot.
  • Narayana Pillai, P. K. (1947). Vijnana ranjini / (in Malayalam). SPCS.
  • K, Narayana Pillai P. (1950). Pracheena Manipravalam (in Malayalam).
  • K, Narayana Pillai P. (1952). Neethisathakam (in Malayalam). Kerala Sarvakalasala.
  • Narayana Pillai, P. K. (1955). Bharatha deshiya gaanam / (in Malayalam). Ullur Publishers.
  • K, Narayana Pillai P. (1956). Smarana Mandalam (in Malayalam). Trivandrum: Kerala University Co.op.stores.
  • Pillai.P.K, Narayana (1965). Sahitheekadaksham (in Malayalam). Ullur Publisher.
  • Narayana Pillai, P. K. (1966). Veerajanani/. Kottayam: National Book Stall.
  • K, Narayana Pillai P. (1968). Thunchathezhuthachan (in Malayalam). Kottayam: National Book Stall.
  • Narayana Pillai, P. K. (1969). Samskara kaudukam / (in Malayalam). Kottayam: S.P.C.S.
  • K, Narayana Pillai P. (1970). Unniyachi Charitham (in Malayalam). Kerala Sarvakalasala.
  • K, Narayana Pillai P. (1971). Padyaratnam (in Malayalam). Trivandrum: Kerala Sarvakalasala.
  • Narayana Pillai, P. K. (1979). The universal light : a poem on Swami Vivekananda, with an English translation (in Sanskrit). Trivandrum: College Book House.
  • Narayana Pillai, P. K. (1980). Panchananante vimarssthrayam. Thrissur: Kerala Sangeetha Natak Akademi.
  • Narayana Pillai, P. K. (1983). Kairalidwani (in Malayalam). Kottayam: National Book Stall.
  • Narayana Pillai, P. K. (1988). Prayogadeepika. Trivandrum: Dept. of Cultural Publications.
  • Narayana Pillai, P. K. (1993). Sahithya Panchanante Krithikal (in Malayalam).
  • Narayana Pillai, P. K. (1995). Leghuvyakaranam. Thiruvananthapuram: State Institute of Languages.
  • Narayana Pillai, P. K. (1995). Vyakarana pravesika. Thiruvananthapuram: State Institute of Languages.
  • Narayana Pillai, P. K. (1995). Kavyamekhala: Sahithya Panjanande Padyakrithikal (in Malayalam). Thiruvananthapuram: Lt. Col. T.N.K.Nair.
  • K, Narayana Pillai P. Prasanga Tharangini (Part - 1) (in Malayalam).
  • Pillai.P.K, Narayana. Prasanga Tharangini Part II (in Malayalam).
  • K, Narayana Pillai P. Prayoga Deepika (in Malayalam).
  • K, Narayana Pillai P. Kesimadhanam (in Malayalam). Kerala Sarvakalasala.
  • K, Narayana Pillai P. Krishnarjjuna yudham (in Malayalam). Kerala Sarvakalasala.

See also

References
  1. "Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal". Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  2. "Biography of Eminent Nairs". www.nairs.in. 24 April 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  3. "Malayala Sahithyakaranmar". writersinmalayalamitsinmalayalam.blogspot.com. 24 April 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  4. K, Narayana Pillai P. (1968). Thunchathezhuthachan (in Malayalam). Kottayam: National Book Stall.
  5. K, Narayana Pillai P. (1916). Krishnagatha - Oru Niroopanam (in Malayalam). Kottayam: Central Travancore Bk depot.
  6. Narayana Pillai, P. K. (1980). Panchananante vimarsathrayam. Thrissur: Kerala Sangeetha Natak Akademi.
  7. Narayana Pillai, P. K. (1995). Leghuvyakaranam. Thiruvananthapuram: State Institute of Languages.
  8. Narayana Pillai, P. K. (1995). Vyakarana pravesika. Thiruvananthapuram: State Institute of Languages.
  9. "List of works". Kerala Sahitya Akademi. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  10. Swaroop, Vishnu (19 June 2019). "Reading awareness vehicle to visit govt schools, villages in Coimbatore district". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  11. Staff Reporter (6 November 2011). "Chandy launches Platinum Jubilee celebrations of PK Memorial". The Hindu. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  12. Gopalakrishnan Nair M (2003). Sahitya Panchanan P K Narayana Pillai. Bharathiya Sahitya Silpikal. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 9788126016396.

Further reading
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