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Chowallur Krishnankutty

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In this Indian name, the toponymic surname is Chowallur. It is not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Krishnankutty.
Chowallur Krishnankutty
Born
Chowallur Warriath Krishnankutty

(1936-07-11)11 July 1936
Chowallur, Kingdom of Cochin, Union of India
(present-day Thrissur district, Kerala, India
Died26 June 2022(2022-06-26) (aged 85)
Thrissur, Kerala, India
Alma materSree Kerala Varma College
Occupation(s)Lyricist, journalist, screenwriter, actor
Years active1959-2022
SpouseSaraswathi Warassyar
Children2
Websitechowallurkrishnankutty.com

Chowallur Krishnankutty (11 July 1936 – 26 June 2022) was an Indian lyricist, journalist, screenwriter and actor. He has penned hundreds of Malayalam devotional songs. The song Oru neramenkilum, from the Tharangini album Thulasi Theertham is the most popular of his lyrics.[1] Krishnankutty had written screenplays and acted in several Malayalam films and also wrote the dialogues for the film Sargam. A recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, Krishnankutty also served as the vice-chairman of the Kerala Kalamandalam.[2][3]

Early life

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Krishnankutty was born on 11 July 1936 to Kodungalloor Kavil Warriath Sankunny Warrier and Chowallur Warriath Parukkutty Warrasyar at his maternal home, Chowallur Warriam, near Guruvayur.[4] Krishnankutty completed his education from Iringapuram Makkunni Memorial School, Mattom St. Francis High School and Sree Kerala Varma College.[5]

Career

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Chowallur Krishnankutty began his career as a journalist in 1959 as the sub-editor at Navajeevan, a daily newspaper published from Thrissur, under Joseph Mundassery.[4] The Guruvayur Arts Club, of which he was one of the founding members, was a pioneer in stage plays which saw accomplished artists like KPAC Lalitha join the artistic hub and perform. In the early 1960s, Chowallur did research in folk arts in Kerala with a scholarship from the Department of Higher Education. Later he submitted the work under the supervision of Dr. K. N. Pisharody, the then chairman of Kerala Kalamandalam and Kavalam Narayana Panicker, the then secretary of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. He then moved to Guruvayur in 1963 as the editor of Swathanthra Mandapam, the first evening daily from the town. Later he joined All India Radio, Kozhikode, working as a staff artist for two years under Uroob.[5][3] When Malayala Manorama launched its unit in Kozhikode in 1966, he joined the editorial team and retired in 2004.[4] He was also a percussionist.[2]

Krishnankutty's first film as a screenwriter was Prabhaathasandhya, produced by Madhu and directed by P. Chandrakumar.[6] The base story for Oru Katha Oru Nunakkatha was penned by Krishnankutty. He wrote the dialogues for the 1992 film Sargam.[7] Thereafter he wrote scripts for Naaraayam, Chaithanyam, Sasinas and Sreeragam. He had done documentaries on Chembai Viadyanadha Bhagavathar, Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, Kalamandalam Appukutty Pothuval, Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair, Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair and Champakulam Pachu Pillai.[8] He also acted in films like Maram, Nellu, Thiruvonam, Srishti, Shalini Ente Koottukari and Anyarude Bhoomi.

He entered into filmi lyricist field in 1976 by writing the song Swapnadanam njan thudarunnu for the movie Thulavarsham, composed by Salil Chowdhury.[9] He then wrote songs for the 1981 film Kalopasana, composed by K. Raghavan, his long-time associate in Akashavani.[6]

Krishnankutty's association with K. J. Yesudas and his Tharangini Records made some of the most popular Malayalam Hindu devotional albums including Thulasi Theertham, composed by T. S. Radhakrishnan[10] and Ayyappa Bhakthiganangal Vol. 6, composed by Gangai Amaran, both released in 1986.[11][12] He had written around 3500 devotional songs and 27 books in various genres.[5][8]

Krishnankutty served as a member of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Kerala Sahitya Akademi and as the vice-chairman of Kerala Kalamandalam.[8] He also served in the editorial boards of Bhakthapriya, a Guruvayur Devaswom publication, Sree Guruvayurappn Masika, published by Guruvayurappn Sankeertana Trust, Nostagia Lifestyle magazine etc.[5]

Accolades

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Krishnankutty had won numerous awards and honours in his career. It includes,[13][5][8]

Personal life

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Krishnankutty was married to Thrissilassery Warriath Swaraswathy Warassyar and they had two children, Usha and Unnikrishnan.[4]

Death

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Krishnankutty died on 26 June 2022 at Amala Institute of Medical Sciences, Thrissur.[18]

References

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  1. ^ Menon, Ravi (30 August 2021). "ഒരു നേരമെങ്കിലും" [The song which took birth in Guruvayur, which even the atheists too love.]. Mathrubhumi (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 26 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Writer Chowalloor Krishnankutty passes away". The New Indian Express. 26 June 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b Narayanan, Nijeesh (28 June 2022). "Chowallur Krishnankutty redefined the style of devotional songs". The Times of India. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "Renowned devotional songwriter Chowalloor Krishnankutty dies". OnManorama. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Biography". chowallurkrishnankutty.com. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  6. ^ a b "ഇനി, ഗാനമുദ്ര! ഓർമകളിൽ ചൊവ്വല്ലൂർ കൃഷ്ണൻകുട്ടി" [Memories of Chovvalloor Krishnankutty.html]. Malayala Manorama. 27 June 2022. Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Kerala CM condoles death of noted devotional songwriter andscribe Chowalloor Krishnankutty". The Times of India. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d "Tearful adieu to Chovvallur Krishnankutty". The Hindu. 22 June 2022. Archived from the original on 28 June 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  9. ^ Menon, Ravi (10 July 2020). "വയലാര്‍ മുങ്ങി; അങ്ങനെ ചൊവ്വല്ലൂര്‍ പാട്ടെഴുത്തുകാരനായി" [Chowallur becomes the lyricist in the absence of Vayalar]. Mathrubhumi (in Malayalam). Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Top 10 devotional songs in Malayalam by Yesudas". OnManorama. 9 January 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  11. ^ Ayyappadas, P. (6 December 2022). "അയ്യനു മുന്നിലുണരുന്ന ഭക്തിയുടെ ഉഷസ്സ്; അതിലുദിക്കുന്ന ഊർജം: ആ പാട്ടിന്റെ കഥ". Malayala Manorama. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Chowalloor Krishnankutty: ഉദിച്ചുയർന്നു…: ഓർമ്മയായത് മലയാളികൾ ഏറ്റവും കൂടുതൽ കേട്ട അയ്യപ്പ ഗാനങ്ങളുടെ സൃഷ്ടാവ്". India Today. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Awards". chowallurkrishnankutty.com. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  14. ^ "Literature". chowallurkrishnankutty.com. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Sree Nagaraja Awards presented". The New Indian Express. 6 October 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Kerala Kalamandalam Awards". Kerala Kalamandalam. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  17. ^ "Kerala Sahitya Akademi awards announced". The Hindu. 24 January 2019. Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  18. ^ "സാഹിത്യകാരൻ ചൊവ്വല്ലൂർ കൃഷ്ണൻകുട്ടി അന്തരിച്ചു" [Writer Chowalloor Krishnankutty has passed away]. MediaOne TV (in Malayalam). 22 June 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
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