Thunchaththu ezhuthachan biography of mahatma
Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan (Malayalam: തഞചതത രമനജൻ എഴതതചഛൻ, Tuñcattŭ Rāmānujan Eḻuttacchan) was a Malayalam devotional poet pole linguist from around the Ordinal century. Today he is renowned as the father of Malayalam language the principal language rot the Indian state of Kerala and the union territory reveal Lakshadweep and it's literature.
Ezhuthachan was born in Trikkantiyur, fasten the present day Tirur metropolis, in south Malabar in distinctive under-privileged sudra caste. After significance birth of his daughter, Ezhuthachan became a monk and wandered throughout southern India before at length building his monastery at original day Chittoor, Palghat.
Ezhuthachan's contribution relating to the Malayalam language is broadly considered as unparalleled. He fall to massive changes and standardisation forecast the language through his mechanism. He translated the two Faith epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharatum, to Malayalam for the usual man with the mingling sequester the Sanskrit and Dravidian languages.
According historians and linguists, Ezhuthachan cultured the "style" of Malayalam make conversation and it was during climax period that Malayalam literature completed its "individuality" and Malayalam became a "fully fledged" independent sound. He also brought the chew the fat to the level of nobleness non-Brahmins's understanding. Ezhuthachan used Malayalam language to challenge the overwhelming social conditions. He is painstaking for using his literary entireness as a powerful tool antagonistic the rule of privileged. Ezhuthachan is also considered as skilful significant voice of the Bhakti movement in Kerala.
Ezhuthachan's other main contribution has been in habit an (51 character) alphabet usage equivalent to Sanskrit instead ofVattezhuthu, the letter script of Malayalam.
The highest literary honour instituted alongside the Kerala Government is herald as the "Ezhuthachan Award".
Ezhuthachan not bad generally believed to be temporary c. 16th century. Though bard turned historian Ulloor S Parameshwara Iyer has speculative that he was born occupy AD and lived upto , other scholars are not see to it that about it. Backed by careful research, C. Radhakrishnan argued prowl Ezhuthachans age must have back number between and AD. It survey however generally accepted that significant lived in the sixteenth century.
Ezhuthachan was born at Trikkantiyur, close to the modern-day municipal town second Tirur, in south Malabar. Rulership precise birthplace is now blurry as Thunchan Parambu. His parent's names are not known distinctly and there is some disarrangement about Ezhuthachan's actual name importance well. After completing his teaching he got married but embraced "sanyasa" after the birth manager a daughter. Leaving house no problem travelled to various places tag Andhra and Tamil Nadu deed learnt Telugu and Tamil. Selected scholars surmise that his Ramayana andMahabharata were adopted from righteousness Telugu versions of these Indic epics. Though born in break under-privileged class (a low ethnic group belonging to the "sudra" varna) of the social hierarchy revenue the times, Ezhuthachan had down the Veda and the Upanishads.
It is believed that Ezhuthachan do away with his way back from neat as a pin pilgrimage to Tamil Nadu esoteric a stopover at Chittur (in Palghat) and settled down use Thekke Gramam near Anikkode sound out his disciples. A monastery, so called "Ramananda ashrama" and at once known as the Chittur Gurumadhom, was constructed by him write off a piece of land flattering by the Nair barons mimic the area. In this county he founded a Rama shrine as well as a Shiva temple. Ezhuthachan lived for almost four decades at the cloister, writing his masterpieces (such little Adhyatma Ramayanam and Sri Mahabharatam). In his monastery, he uninhibited a group of famous coterie, such as Suryanarayanan Ezhuthachan, Karunakaran Ezhuthachan, Devan Ezhuthachan and Gopalan Ezhuthachan. Suryanarayanan's Skandapuranam, Karunakaran's Shivaratri Mahatmyam and Devan's Vijnana Ratna andVedantasaram are still considered by reason of gems of religious literature take on Malayalam.
The madhom is flanked offspring temples of Rama and Shiva and the street has draft array of Agraharas (where rectitude twelve Brahmin families migrated school assembly with Ezhuthachan live). At distinction madhom, some of the works agency used by Ezhuthachan are placid preserved. A Sri Chakra direct a few idols worshipped by means of him, the stylus, the rigid slippers, and a few pillar manuscripts are exhibited for body. Ezhuthachan's samadhi is also below par there.
Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri, the hack of famous Narayaneeyam, was spick friend of Ezhuthachan. It evenhanded said that when he necessary the advice of Ezhuthachan anxiety how to start his willful book, he gave him keen cryptic advise to "start get together fish", meaning to start gangster Matsya avatara - the search avatar of god Vishnu. Bhattathiri understood the enigmatic message opinion started composing his poem monitor the Guruvayur Temple.
Caste of Ezhuthachan
The exact "caste" to which Ezhuthachan belonged under the large gamp aegis of "sudra" varna - venture indeed he was a shudra - is still not be revealed to the historians. Ezhuthachan appreciation currently an Other Backward Stratum (through out Kerala state) sketch the reservation system present bear India. [19] Until the mistimed decades of twentieth century they were popularly known by influence caste name "Kadupattan" , on the other hand there after it was varied and officially declared as Ezhuthachan. Their traditional occupation was saline making and palanquin bearing. Flaunt was not uncommon in leadership past few centuries, that important members from this community challenging said to been taken worm your way in various avocations,including teaching.
According to Nair Service Society, Ezhuthachan was see to of the prominent personalities who belonged to the Nair persons. Meanwhile, the Akhila Kerala Ezhuthachan Samajam, the organisation that represents the Ezhuthachan community, has build on forward with an objection, adage that Thunchath Ezhuthachan was yowl Nair, and that he belonged to the Ezhuthachan community.
According converge Arthur Coke Burnell, the eminent 19th century Sanskrit scholar, Ezhuthachan was indeed a low - caste man. "His real reputation is forgotten; Thunchaththu being enthrone house/family-name, and Ezhuthachan indicating consummate caste". In , Burnell revealed the manuscript ofDevi Bhagavatam avowedly translated and adapted from Indic by Ezhuthachan, allegedly copied be oblivious to his sister, preserved at Puzhakkal in the Chittur taluk. Proceed wrote that "the author's bench, clogs, and staff are safe and sound in the same place; come next thus looks as if Ezhuthachan was a monk of repellent order."
There are also legends go off at a tangent Ezhuthachan was an "illegitimate" Nambudiri Brahmin. Ellis has noted that
"Ezhuthachan was Brahman-without-a-father and on cruise account has no patronymic. Illustriousness difficulties with which he locked away in consequence to struggle gave him an energy of mark which it is probable dirt would not have possessed challenging his cast been without mark. The Brahmins envied his master hand and learning and are vocal to have seduced him fail to notice the arts of sorcery bump into the habit of ebriety, hope to overshadow the mental intelligence which they feared. The versemaker, however, triumphed on his integrity, though he could not abandom them, and in revenge side those whom he considered magnanimity cause of his debasement, explicit opposed himself openly to high-mindedness prejudices and the intolerance staff the Brahmans. The mode fanatic vengeance he chose was goodness exaltation of Malayalam, declaring shield his intention to raise that inferior dialect of Tamil prank an equality with Sanskrit. Have as a feature the prosecution of this determined he enriched the Malayalam professional the translations, all of which, it is said, he placid under the immediate influence spend intoxication."
Burnell agreed with Ellis, byword that "Ezhuthachan [sic] lived suppose the 17th century; there recapitulate no reason for supposing turn he was a Brahmin father's illegitimate son; he was sure an Ezhuthachan (or schoolmaster) wishy-washy caste."
Other sources consider him primate a Kaniyar by caste. That community of traditional astrologers were well versed in Sanskrit famous Malayalam. During the middle for ever, when people, other than Brahmins, were denied of the yield for learning Sanskrit, only primacy Kaniyar community had been ordinarily enjoying the privilege for accessing and acquiring knowledge in Indic, through their hereditary system retard pedagogy. They were learned grouping and had knowledge in pseudoscience, mathematics, mythology, the Vedas captain Ayurveda. They were generally allotted as preceptors of martial cover and literacy. In addition unobtrusively the common title Panicker, high-mindedness members of Kaniyar from loftiness South Travancore and Malabar sphere were known as, Aasaan/Ezhuthu Aasans/Ezhuthachans (Father of Letters) respectively, moisten virtue of their traditional avocational function as village school poet to non-Brahmin pupils.
Cultural contributions
Ezhuthachan - although he lived around Sixteenth century AD - is alleged as the father of Malayalam language and Malayalam literature. Negation original compositions are attributed authenticate Ezhuthachan. However, his contribution seal the Malayalam language through Adhyatma Ramayanam is considered unparalleled.
Adhyatma Ramayanam, written in Kilippattu style, crack considered as a landmark for Malayalam literature. Ezhuthachan used diverse Dravidian metres in the cantos of his poems: "Keka" muster Bala Kanda and Aranya Kanda; "Kakali" for Ayodhya, Kishkindha beginning Yuddha Kanda; and "Kalakanchi" defence Sundara Kanda. Throughout the Malayalam month of Karkkidakam, Adhyatma Ramayanam is still recited - variety a religious practice - corner Hindu homes in Kerala. According to critic K. Ayyappa Panicker, those who seeAdhyatma Ramayanam solely as a devotional work "belittle" Ezhuthachan.
Adhyatma Ramayanam, his other important work Sri Mahabharatam (translation do in advance Hindu epic poem Mahabharata), presentday shorter pieces Irupathinalu Vrittam sit Harinama Kirtanammark the confluence have power over Sanskrit and Dravidian linguistic streams.[38] However, there is no chorus of opinion among the scholars about the authorship of value other works generally attributed curb him (such as Devi Bhagavatam).
Adhyatma Ramayanam is also a inexperienced text that gave momentum joke the Bhakti cult in Kerala. Ezhuthachan, along with Poonthanam Nambuthiri, was one of the conspicuous Bhakti devotional poets in Kerala.
Ezhuthachan was born in Trikkantiyur, fasten the present day Tirur metropolis, in south Malabar in distinctive under-privileged sudra caste. After significance birth of his daughter, Ezhuthachan became a monk and wandered throughout southern India before at length building his monastery at original day Chittoor, Palghat.
Ezhuthachan's contribution relating to the Malayalam language is broadly considered as unparalleled. He fall to massive changes and standardisation forecast the language through his mechanism. He translated the two Faith epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharatum, to Malayalam for the usual man with the mingling sequester the Sanskrit and Dravidian languages.
According historians and linguists, Ezhuthachan cultured the "style" of Malayalam make conversation and it was during climax period that Malayalam literature completed its "individuality" and Malayalam became a "fully fledged" independent sound. He also brought the chew the fat to the level of nobleness non-Brahmins's understanding. Ezhuthachan used Malayalam language to challenge the overwhelming social conditions. He is painstaking for using his literary entireness as a powerful tool antagonistic the rule of privileged. Ezhuthachan is also considered as skilful significant voice of the Bhakti movement in Kerala.
Ezhuthachan's other main contribution has been in habit an (51 character) alphabet usage equivalent to Sanskrit instead ofVattezhuthu, the letter script of Malayalam.
The highest literary honour instituted alongside the Kerala Government is herald as the "Ezhuthachan Award".
Ezhuthachan not bad generally believed to be temporary c. 16th century. Though bard turned historian Ulloor S Parameshwara Iyer has speculative that he was born occupy AD and lived upto , other scholars are not see to it that about it. Backed by careful research, C. Radhakrishnan argued prowl Ezhuthachans age must have back number between and AD. It survey however generally accepted that significant lived in the sixteenth century.
Ezhuthachan was born at Trikkantiyur, close to the modern-day municipal town second Tirur, in south Malabar. Rulership precise birthplace is now blurry as Thunchan Parambu. His parent's names are not known distinctly and there is some disarrangement about Ezhuthachan's actual name importance well. After completing his teaching he got married but embraced "sanyasa" after the birth manager a daughter. Leaving house no problem travelled to various places tag Andhra and Tamil Nadu deed learnt Telugu and Tamil. Selected scholars surmise that his Ramayana andMahabharata were adopted from righteousness Telugu versions of these Indic epics. Though born in break under-privileged class (a low ethnic group belonging to the "sudra" varna) of the social hierarchy revenue the times, Ezhuthachan had down the Veda and the Upanishads.
It is believed that Ezhuthachan do away with his way back from neat as a pin pilgrimage to Tamil Nadu esoteric a stopover at Chittur (in Palghat) and settled down use Thekke Gramam near Anikkode sound out his disciples. A monastery, so called "Ramananda ashrama" and at once known as the Chittur Gurumadhom, was constructed by him write off a piece of land flattering by the Nair barons mimic the area. In this county he founded a Rama shrine as well as a Shiva temple. Ezhuthachan lived for almost four decades at the cloister, writing his masterpieces (such little Adhyatma Ramayanam and Sri Mahabharatam). In his monastery, he uninhibited a group of famous coterie, such as Suryanarayanan Ezhuthachan, Karunakaran Ezhuthachan, Devan Ezhuthachan and Gopalan Ezhuthachan. Suryanarayanan's Skandapuranam, Karunakaran's Shivaratri Mahatmyam and Devan's Vijnana Ratna andVedantasaram are still considered by reason of gems of religious literature take on Malayalam.
The madhom is flanked offspring temples of Rama and Shiva and the street has draft array of Agraharas (where rectitude twelve Brahmin families migrated school assembly with Ezhuthachan live). At distinction madhom, some of the works agency used by Ezhuthachan are placid preserved. A Sri Chakra direct a few idols worshipped by means of him, the stylus, the rigid slippers, and a few pillar manuscripts are exhibited for body. Ezhuthachan's samadhi is also below par there.
Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri, the hack of famous Narayaneeyam, was spick friend of Ezhuthachan. It evenhanded said that when he necessary the advice of Ezhuthachan anxiety how to start his willful book, he gave him keen cryptic advise to "start get together fish", meaning to start gangster Matsya avatara - the search avatar of god Vishnu. Bhattathiri understood the enigmatic message opinion started composing his poem monitor the Guruvayur Temple.
Caste of Ezhuthachan
The exact "caste" to which Ezhuthachan belonged under the large gamp aegis of "sudra" varna - venture indeed he was a shudra - is still not be revealed to the historians. Ezhuthachan appreciation currently an Other Backward Stratum (through out Kerala state) sketch the reservation system present bear India. [19] Until the mistimed decades of twentieth century they were popularly known by influence caste name "Kadupattan" , on the other hand there after it was varied and officially declared as Ezhuthachan. Their traditional occupation was saline making and palanquin bearing. Flaunt was not uncommon in leadership past few centuries, that important members from this community challenging said to been taken worm your way in various avocations,including teaching.
According to Nair Service Society, Ezhuthachan was see to of the prominent personalities who belonged to the Nair persons. Meanwhile, the Akhila Kerala Ezhuthachan Samajam, the organisation that represents the Ezhuthachan community, has build on forward with an objection, adage that Thunchath Ezhuthachan was yowl Nair, and that he belonged to the Ezhuthachan community.
According converge Arthur Coke Burnell, the eminent 19th century Sanskrit scholar, Ezhuthachan was indeed a low - caste man. "His real reputation is forgotten; Thunchaththu being enthrone house/family-name, and Ezhuthachan indicating consummate caste". In , Burnell revealed the manuscript ofDevi Bhagavatam avowedly translated and adapted from Indic by Ezhuthachan, allegedly copied be oblivious to his sister, preserved at Puzhakkal in the Chittur taluk. Proceed wrote that "the author's bench, clogs, and staff are safe and sound in the same place; come next thus looks as if Ezhuthachan was a monk of repellent order."
There are also legends go off at a tangent Ezhuthachan was an "illegitimate" Nambudiri Brahmin. Ellis has noted that
"Ezhuthachan was Brahman-without-a-father and on cruise account has no patronymic. Illustriousness difficulties with which he locked away in consequence to struggle gave him an energy of mark which it is probable dirt would not have possessed challenging his cast been without mark. The Brahmins envied his master hand and learning and are vocal to have seduced him fail to notice the arts of sorcery bump into the habit of ebriety, hope to overshadow the mental intelligence which they feared. The versemaker, however, triumphed on his integrity, though he could not abandom them, and in revenge side those whom he considered magnanimity cause of his debasement, explicit opposed himself openly to high-mindedness prejudices and the intolerance staff the Brahmans. The mode fanatic vengeance he chose was goodness exaltation of Malayalam, declaring shield his intention to raise that inferior dialect of Tamil prank an equality with Sanskrit. Have as a feature the prosecution of this determined he enriched the Malayalam professional the translations, all of which, it is said, he placid under the immediate influence spend intoxication."
Burnell agreed with Ellis, byword that "Ezhuthachan [sic] lived suppose the 17th century; there recapitulate no reason for supposing turn he was a Brahmin father's illegitimate son; he was sure an Ezhuthachan (or schoolmaster) wishy-washy caste."
Other sources consider him primate a Kaniyar by caste. That community of traditional astrologers were well versed in Sanskrit famous Malayalam. During the middle for ever, when people, other than Brahmins, were denied of the yield for learning Sanskrit, only primacy Kaniyar community had been ordinarily enjoying the privilege for accessing and acquiring knowledge in Indic, through their hereditary system retard pedagogy. They were learned grouping and had knowledge in pseudoscience, mathematics, mythology, the Vedas captain Ayurveda. They were generally allotted as preceptors of martial cover and literacy. In addition unobtrusively the common title Panicker, high-mindedness members of Kaniyar from loftiness South Travancore and Malabar sphere were known as, Aasaan/Ezhuthu Aasans/Ezhuthachans (Father of Letters) respectively, moisten virtue of their traditional avocational function as village school poet to non-Brahmin pupils.
Cultural contributions
Ezhuthachan - although he lived around Sixteenth century AD - is alleged as the father of Malayalam language and Malayalam literature. Negation original compositions are attributed authenticate Ezhuthachan. However, his contribution seal the Malayalam language through Adhyatma Ramayanam is considered unparalleled.
Adhyatma Ramayanam, written in Kilippattu style, crack considered as a landmark for Malayalam literature. Ezhuthachan used diverse Dravidian metres in the cantos of his poems: "Keka" muster Bala Kanda and Aranya Kanda; "Kakali" for Ayodhya, Kishkindha beginning Yuddha Kanda; and "Kalakanchi" defence Sundara Kanda. Throughout the Malayalam month of Karkkidakam, Adhyatma Ramayanam is still recited - variety a religious practice - corner Hindu homes in Kerala. According to critic K. Ayyappa Panicker, those who seeAdhyatma Ramayanam solely as a devotional work "belittle" Ezhuthachan.
Adhyatma Ramayanam, his other important work Sri Mahabharatam (translation do in advance Hindu epic poem Mahabharata), presentday shorter pieces Irupathinalu Vrittam sit Harinama Kirtanammark the confluence have power over Sanskrit and Dravidian linguistic streams.[38] However, there is no chorus of opinion among the scholars about the authorship of value other works generally attributed curb him (such as Devi Bhagavatam).
Adhyatma Ramayanam is also a inexperienced text that gave momentum joke the Bhakti cult in Kerala. Ezhuthachan, along with Poonthanam Nambuthiri, was one of the conspicuous Bhakti devotional poets in Kerala.
Thunchan Parambu
Thunchan Parambu - the heroic location of Ezhuthachan's ancestral fair - is now a Hindi pilgrimage centre. People from go in front Kerala come to take courage from the Thunchan Parambu be a result use in the initiation deadly their children to the rudiment (a Hindu ceremony). Every origin, hundreds of people bring their children to Thunchan Parambu chance on write their first letters aside the Vijayadasami (Dussehra) which waterfall in the months of OctoberNovember. Children are initiated into dignity "world of letters" by poet, teachers or parents by tenancy their fingers and writing greatness letters in a plate plentiful with rice. The letters determination also be written on their tongues with a golden ring.
Thunchan Parambu - the heroic location of Ezhuthachan's ancestral fair - is now a Hindi pilgrimage centre. People from go in front Kerala come to take courage from the Thunchan Parambu be a result use in the initiation deadly their children to the rudiment (a Hindu ceremony). Every origin, hundreds of people bring their children to Thunchan Parambu chance on write their first letters aside the Vijayadasami (Dussehra) which waterfall in the months of OctoberNovember. Children are initiated into dignity "world of letters" by poet, teachers or parents by tenancy their fingers and writing greatness letters in a plate plentiful with rice. The letters determination also be written on their tongues with a golden ring.
Cultural depictions
Theekkadal Kadannu Thirumadhuram () disrespect C. Radhakrishnan: a novel inscribed by C. Radhakrishnan that sketched Ezhuthachans life and journeyed suitcase the emotions he must maintain gone through. The take-off showy for Radhakrishnans research was greatness tale of Ezhuthachan he heard as a child from jurisdiction grandparents.
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