Vennikkulam Gopala Kurup
{{short description|Indian poet and playwright (1902–1980)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Vennikkulam Gopala Kurup
| image = File:Gopala Kurup, a poet from old Kollam, Travancore.jpg
| caption =
| birthname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1902|5|10}}
| birth_place = Vennikulam, Quilon, Travancore (present-day Vennikulam, Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India)
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1980|8|29 |1902|5|10}}
| death_place = Pathanamthitta, Kerala
| othername =
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Poet
- playwright
- translator
- lexicographer
}}
| yearsactive =
| parents = Padmanabha Kurup, Lakshmy Kunjamma
| spouse = Madhavi Pillai
| children = Sahity Kurup, Smrita Kurup
| awards = {{ubl|1966 Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry|1969 Odakkuzhal Award|1974 Sahitya Akademi Award|Thirukural Award}}
}}
Vennikkulam Gopala Kurup (1902–1980) was an Indian poet, playwright, translator, lexicographer and story writer of Malayalam. He was the author of a number of poetry anthologies, besides other works, and he translated Abhijnana Shakuntalam, Tulsi Ramayana, Tirukkuṛaḷ, the poems of Subramania Bharati and two cantos of The Light of Asia of Edwin Arnold into Malayalam. He also contributed in the preparation of a dictionary, Kairali Kosham. A recipient of the Odakkuzhal Award and Thirukural Award, Kurup received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry in 1966. Sahitya Akademi honoured him with their annual award in 1974.
Biography
File:The Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library at Thiruvananthapuram.jpg
Gopala Kurup was born on May 10, 1902, at Vennikulam, Quilon, Travancore (present-day Pathanamthitta district, Kerala) to Cherukattumadathil Padmanabha Kurup and Lakshmi Kunjamma.{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/Vennikkulam/Html/Vennikkulamgraphy.htm |title=Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |date=2019-04-09 |website=Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |access-date=2019-04-09}} After learning the basics of Sanskrit from his father, he completed his primary education under Kochu Pillai, a local teacher, and joined the local school at Vennikulam, where he had the opportunity to learn under Kaviyoor Vekitachalam Iyer and A. Sahasranama Iyer to pass the 7th standard. Subsequently, he started his career as a teacher in 1917, but continued his studies to pass the vidwan examination after which he joined the English school vennikulam started by Kandathil Varghese Mappillai in 1918. Later, he shifted to Tiruvalla to join M.G.M. High School in 1924 where he stayed for 25 years until joining the Malayalam Lerxicon and State Manuscripts Library, the present-day Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library, as a librarian.{{Cite web |url=https://www.veethi.com/india-people/vennikkulam_gopala_kurup-profile-13919-25.htm |title=Vennikkulam Gopala Kurup - Veethi profile |website=veethi.com |access-date=2019-04-09}} During his stint at Tiruvalla, he was also associated with Malayala Manorama, assisting in selecting poems for publishing in the weekly, an assignment he got when K. C. Mammen Mappillai became fascinated with one of the speeches Kurup made at Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam in 1926. He superannuated from official service in 1961.{{cite book|author=Amaresh Datta|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Devraj to Jyoti|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zB4n3MVozbUC&pg=PA1445|year=1988|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-260-1194-0|pages=1445–}}
Gopala Kurup was married to Mepral Mangattuveettil Madhavi Pillai, the marriage taking place in 1932.Akhilavijnanakosam; D.C.Books; KottayamSahithyakara Directory ; Kerala Sahithya Academy,Thrissur He died on August 29, 1980, at the age of 78.{{Cite web |url=http://www.nairs.in/bio_g.htm |title=Biography of Eminent Nairs |publisher=Nairs Academy of Information Research and Services |access-date=24 June 2018}}
His tomb is at Vennikulam Manimala River Shore.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}
Legacy
Kurup's oeuvre comprises 19 poetry anthologies, two plays viz. Kalidasante Kanmani and Priyamvada, one book of folk tales, Thacholi Othenan, and a book of children's literature titled Katha Nakshathrangal.{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/Vennikkulam/Html/VennikkulamBooks.htm |title=List of works |date=2019-04-09 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-04-09}} Known to have been influenced by Vallathol Narayana Menon, his poems are noted for their spiritual undertone.{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralawindow.net/imp_g.html |title=Welcome to Kerala window |website=www.keralawindow.net |access-date=2019-04-09}} While working at the manuscripts library, he was involved in the preparation of Kairali Kosham. Besides, he translated Abhijnana Shakuntalam, Tulsi Ramayana, Tirukkuṛaḷ, the poems of Subramania Bharati under the title, Bharatiyude Kavithakal.{{cite book|author=D. S. Rao|title=Five Decades: The National Academy of Letters, India : a Short History of Sahitya Akademi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8JDsBBDoMccC&pg=PA103|year=2004|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-260-2060-7|pages=103–}} and two cantos of The Light of Asia of Edwin Arnold into Malayalam. He also published his autobiography under the title, Athmarekha.{{Cite web |url=https://catalog.uoc.ac.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=74931&query_desc=au%252Cwrdl%253A%2520Vennikkulam%2520Gopala%2520Kurup |title=Atmarekha: Autobiography |last=Gopala Kurup |first=Vennikkulam |publisher=S.P.C.S |access-date=2019-04-09}}
Awards and honours
The Kerala Sahitya Akademi selected Kurup's poetry anthology, Manikyaveena, for their annual award for poetry in 1966.{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/ksa/Awards/poetry.htm |title=Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry |date=2019-04-09 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-04-09}} Three years later, his translation, Tulasidaasaramayanam, fetched him the 1969 Odakkuzhal Award.{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralaculture.org/odakkuzhal-award/576 |title=Winners of Odakkuzhal Award |date=2019-04-09 |website=www.keralaculture.org |language=en |access-date=2019-04-09}} Sahitya Akademi, the National academy of letters, honoured him with their annual award in 1974, work Kamasurabhi earning him the honours.{{Cite web |url=http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/awards.htm |title=KENDRA SAHITYA ACADEMY AWARDS (MALAYALAM) |date=2007-05-24 |access-date=2019-04-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070524212356/http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/awards.htm |archive-date=24 May 2007 }} He was awarded the titles Sahithya Nipunan by the Maharaja of Kochi and 'Sahithyakalanidhi' by the Kerala chapter of the Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha. Kurup, who represented Kerala at the national poets' meetings held at Delhi, Calcutta and Bangalore, was also a recipient of the Thirukkural Award and the honoris causa degree of the Doctor of Letters from the Kanpur University.
Bibliography
= Poetry =
{{Div col}}
- {{Cite book |title=Theertthadhāra: kavitāsamāhāraṃ |last=Gopala Kurup |first=Vennikkulam |date=1982 |publisher=DC Books |location=Kōṭṭayaṃ |language=Malayalam |oclc=16970737}}
- {{Cite book |title=Manikyaveena |last=Gopala Kurup |first=Vennikkulam |date=1965 |publisher=Sāhityapr̲avarttaka Sahakaraṇasaṃghaṃ |location=Kōṭṭayaṃ |language=Malayalam |oclc=1049061043}}
- {{Cite book |title=Kadaleevanam|last=Gopala Kurup |first=Vennikkulam |date=1962 |publisher=Sāhityapr̲avarttaka Sahakaraṇasaṅghaṃ |location=Kōṭṭayaṃ |oclc=39769745}}
- {{Cite book |title=Kāmasurabhi|last=Gopala Kurup |first=Vennikkulam |date=1971 |language=ml |oclc=978022579}}
- {{cite book|author=Vennikkulam Gopala Kurup|title=Ponnampalamedu|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kZkRAQAAIAAJ|year=1968}}
- {{Cite book |title=Sidharthacharitham |last=Gopala Kurup |first=Vennikkulam |date=1962 |publisher=Venus Pr̲ess & Book Depot |location=Kōnni |language=Malayalam |oclc=20559919}}
- {{Cite book |title=Śr̲imahābhārataṃ|last=Rajaraja Varma Raja |first=Vadakkumkoor |last2=Hari Sarma |first2=A. D |last3=Gopala Kurup |first3=Vennikkulam |last4=Kunjikuttan Thampuran |date=1966 |publisher=Sāhityapr̲avarttaka Sahakaraṇasaṅghaṃ |location=Kōṭṭayaṃ |language=Malayalam |oclc=20784636}}
- {{Cite book |url=https://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/76291 |title=Kama Surabhi: Kavithakal |last=Gopala Kurup |first=Vennikkulam |language=Malayalam}}
- {{Cite book |url=https://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/86387 |title=Vasantholsavam |last=Gopala Kurup |first=Vennikkulam |language=Malayalam}}
- {{Cite book |url=https://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/74186 |title=Manivilakku: Kadha Kavyam |last=Gopala Kurup |first=Vennikkulam |language=Malayalam}}
- {{Cite book |url=https://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/76312 |title=Swarna Sandhya: Kavithakal |last=Gopala Kurup |first=Vennikkulam |date=1978 |language=Malayalam}}
- {{Cite book |url=http://mgucat.mgu.ac.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=19628&query_desc=au%252Cwrdl%253A%2520Vennikkulam%2520Gopala%2520Kurup |title=Saundarya pooja |last=Gopala Kurup |first=Vennikkulam |date=1988 |location=Kottayam, SPCS}}
- {{Cite book |url=http://103.251.43.202:8080/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=39660 |title=Vellithalam: Kavithakal |last=Gopala Kurup |first=Vennikkulam |date=1953 |language=Malayalam}}
- {{Cite book |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K5_QILRAgI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/-K5_QILRAgI |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Aaramme Gandhi: Kavithakal |last=Gopala Kurup |first=Vennikkulam |publisher=DC Books |language=Malayalam}}{{cbignore}}
- Sarovaram
- Manasaputhri
- Amruthabhishekam
- Keralasree
{{div col end}}
= Translations =
- {{Cite book |url=http://mgucat.mgu.ac.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=45059&query_desc=au%252Cwrdl%253A%2520Vennikkulam%2520Gopala%2520Kurup |title=Ramacharithamaanasam: Thulasidasa Ramayanam |last=Gopala Kurup |first=Vennikkulam; Translator |last2=Thulasidas; Author |date=2008 |access-date=2019-04-09}}
- {{Cite book |url=http://103.251.43.202:8080/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=38014 |title=Bharathiyute kavithakal |last=Gopala Kurup |first=Vennikkulam; Translator |last2=Subrahmanya Bharati; Author |date=1962 |publisher= Sahitya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society |access-date=2019-04-09}}
- Thirukkural
= Autobiography =
- {{Cite book |title=Ātmarēkha (āthmakatha) |last=Gopala Kurup |first=Vennikkulam |date=1974 |language=Malayalam |oclc=978080213}}
See also
{{Portal|India|Literature}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/Vennikkulam/Html/Vennikkulam.htm |title=Portrait commissioned by Kerala Sahitya Akademi |date=2019-04-05 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-04-05}}
- {{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/Vennikkulam/Html/VennikkulamScript.htm |title=Handwriting |date=2019-04-05 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-04-05}}
- {{Cite web |url=http://worldcat.org/identities/np-gopala%20kurup,%20vennikkulam$1902/ |title=WorldCat Identities |date=2019-04-09 |website=WorldCat |access-date=2019-04-09 |archive-date=9 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209170340/http://worldcat.org/identities/np-gopala%2520kurup,%2520vennikkulam$1902/ |url-status=dead }}
- {{cite book|author1=R. Raman Nair|author2=L. Sulochana Devi|title=Chattampi Swami: An Intellectual Biography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K-JRfipEdV0C&pg=PA447|year=2010|publisher=South Indian Studies|isbn=978-81-905928-2-6|pages=447–}}
{{Tirukkural}}
{{Sahitya Akademi Award For Malayalam}}
{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kurup, Vennikkulam Gopala}}
Category:People from Pathanamthitta district
Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Malayalam
Category:Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award
Category:20th-century Indian poets
Category:Tamil–Malayalam translators
Category:Translators of the Tirukkural into Malayalam
Category:20th-century Indian male writers
Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights