Sufi Paranja Katha
| Author | K. P. Ramanunni |
|---|---|
| Translator | N. Gopalakrishnan |
| Illustrator | Artist Namboothiri |
| Cover artist | N. Ajayan |
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
| Publisher | DC Books |
|
Publication date
|
November 1993 |
| Pages | 126 |
| Awards |
Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Edasseri Award |
| ISBN |
Sufi Paranja Katha (Sūphi parañña katha; സൂഫി പറഞ്ഞ കഥ) (meaning, The Story as Told by the Sufi) is the debut novel of Malayalam novelist K. P. Ramanunni. It was originally serialised in Kalakaumudi in 1989 and published as a book in 1993. The novel has been translated into eight languages, including English (titled What the Sufi Said) and French.Priyanandanan adapted the novel into a film of the same name in 2010. K. P. Ramanunni himself wrote the dialogue and script of the film.
Ramanunni deals with a complex theme in this novel. A theme that was influenced by his childhood in Ponnani. "I lost my father when I was three and was attached to my mother. We were close to our neighbours who were Muslims. My friend Abdul Khayoom's father was fond of me. Eventually, I realised that the inner core of religion is spirituality," says Ramanunni.
The background of the novel is that of northern Kerala a few decades after the British established their authority. The Nair society that existed there was matrilineal. A child belonged to its mother’s family. In the story, a character called Muthassi is the oldest living member of the family. The family consists of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. In this set-up, known as a Tharavad, the oldest man is the administrator or the Karanavar. Sanku Menon is the Karanavar of the Melepullarath Tharavad. He is the grandson of Muthassi. Muthassi's daughter is Sanku Menon's mother. Sanku Menon’s sister Ammalu is the mother of Karthy, the principal character. The children did not inherit the property of their father. The inheritance was through the women of the family. In certain parts of Kerala, Muslims also give special importance to the wife’s house. Sufi Paranja Katha develops the theme from this complex background.
The story revolves around the love and marriage between Mamootty, a Muslim and Karthy, a Nair Hindu. Though converted to Islam, Karthy is unable to resist the primeval tug of her original religion. We see pantheistic pagan traditions asserting themselves over members of all communities-as Mother Goddess for Hindus, as the Beevi and Jarum for the Muslims. The novel speaks about religious feelings and relationships and the mystic reach of these aspects.
Sufi Paranja Katha was serialised in Kalakaumudi weekly in 1989 with the accompaniment of illustrations by the acclaimed Artist Namboothiri. It was published as a book in November 1993. First DC Books edition came in December 1995.
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