Thakazhi
| Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
17 April 1912 Thakazhi, Alleppey, Kerala |
| Died | 10 April 1999 (aged 86) Thakazhi, Alappuzha, Kerala, India |
| Pen name | Thakazhi |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Genre | Novel, short story |
| Subject | Social aspects |
| Literary movement | Realism |
Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai (17 April 1912 – 10 April 1999) was a novelist and short story writer of Malayalam language. He is popularly known as Thakazhi, after his place of birth. He focused on the oppressed classes as the subject of his works, which are known for their attention to historic detail. He wrote several novels and over 600 short stories. His most famous works are Kayar (Coir, 1978) and Chemmeen (Prawns, 1956). Pillai, a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, was awarded India's highest literary award, the Jnanpith in 1984 for the epic novel Kayar.
Born in the village of Thakazhi, in Kuttanad, Alappuzha district of Kerala, he started to write stories when he was a schoolboy. His literary taste was nurtured by his high school headmaster Kainikkara Kumara Pillai (1900–1988) who exposed him to Indian literature. He met Kesari A Balakrishna Pillai (1889–1960) while pursuing his law studies in Tiruvanantapuram. He introduced Thakazhi to modern European literature and thought.
His novels and short stories addressed various facets of society in Kerala in the mid-20th century. His novel Thottiyude Makan (Scavenger's Son, 1947) is considered a pioneer work in Malayalam realistic novel. The novel portrays three generations of a working-class family engaged in Alleppey as scavengers. The novel challenges the rationale of the caste system, that one's profession should depend on pedigree.
His political novel, Randidangazhi (Two Measures, 1948), projected the evils of the feudal system that prevailed in Kerala then, especially in Kuttanad. The film adaptation, directed and produced by P. Subramaniam from a screenplay by Thakazhi himself, received a certificate of merit at the National Film Awards in 1958.
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