P. K. Balakrishnan
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Harikeshpk 04:40, 1 April 2007 (UTC)== P. K. Balakrishnan == (1926-1991) Malayalam novelist critic historian.
Balakrishnan was born to Panickasseri Kesavan and Mani in the small village of Edavanakkad in Eranakulam district in erstwhile Cochin state(Kerala), India, in a lower middle class family. He was the youngest of 4 children and the only son of his parents. Though his father was bedridden with paralysis, his studies were not neglected. Bright in studies, he created a good impression on people around together with his mischievous cousins Kesavan, Chennan and Sekharan.The child hood flavours and the beautiful village where he lived can be caught in his novel ‘Pluto’
He learnt his first letters in the sand spread out at Madhavan Asan’s Kalari (Kalari is where learning started in olden days under the guidance of an ‘Asan’= teacher). The learning stopped soon after, when the student got scared of his drunken teacher. Then at 14 years joined Rama Varma Union High school (1940) in the neighbouring village of Cherai. In the annual assembly of the school, he used to speak on allotted subjects. The school had a library that he put to good use. K.C.Abraham , or Abraham master (who later served as governor of Andhra Pradesh), the headmaster and Alexander, the Malayalam teacher were teachers here with whom he maintained contacts and whom he remembered with great respect. He passed high school with state first in Malayalam and a scholarship for higher studies.
He joined Maharajas College, Ernakulam. He selected science as his subject as he was told that it was the most difficult to study. He was very active in college. However, academic studies were last in his agenda. It was the time when the freedom movement had gathered momentum and there was no way the energetic boy could keep himself out of it. He whole-heartedly jumped into it. The involvement in quit India movement ended in jail. Thus, his four eventful years in college ended without any qualification degree.Language was a gift he had and he had made prolific use of it through out his college days and later mostly for political purposes. Though not formally, he had proved his mettle and the first job offer as chief editor proved that the caliber of the man was recognized. He started his formal career in journalism as Chief Editor of the daily news paper Dinaprabha ,at the age of 32 years which was published, from Kozhicode. He quit after a year due to differences with the management. His journalistic career spread through the Malayalam dailies Kerala Kaumudi, Kerala Bhooshanam and Madhyamam Daily.
[edit] The Author
As a writer he is best known for his novel 'Ini Njan Urangatte' (meaning - 'and now, let me sleep').
A work originating from the Vyasabharatha (Mahabharath), it has caught the stylised language and mood of the great epic. It gives a new intellectual and spiritual dimension to the recreated Draupadi (the wife of the Pandavas). Her painful story unveils around the unacknowledged eldest Pandava, Karna, born to maiden Kunti from the sun god. Balakrishnan has 11 published works to his credit as on date. His only other novel is' Pluto priyapetta Pluto' (Pluto, my dear Pluto), the story of his real life dog named after the Walt Disney counterpart.
[edit] Works of Balakrishan
1.Narayana Guru (1954) An anthology on the great spiritual leader and social reformer of Kerala.
2 .Chandu Menon - Oru Padanam (1957) (Chandu Menon - a Study) on the author of the first Malayalam novel 'Indulekha' 3 .Kavyakala Kumaranasaniloode (1970) (The Art of Poetry through Kumaran Asan) on the noted doyen of Malayalam poetry Kumaran Asan 4 .Ezhuthachante Kala - Chila Vyasa Bharatha Padhanangalum 1982 (The Art of Ezhuthachan ) , a work on the father of Malayalam literature 5 .Novel - Sidhiyum Sadhanayum 1965 (Novel -Gift of Genius and Nurturing), a work on the craft of novel writing 6 .Balakrishnante Lekhanangal (2004)( Articles of Balakrishnan ) 7. Keraleeyatayum Mattum (2004)(The Essence of Kerala etc.) This book is a collection of 20 articles published in various periodicals over a time.
8.Pluto Priyapetta Pluto (1963) (Pluto, my dear Pluto) The story of his real life dog named after the Walt Disney counterpart 9.Ini Njan Urangatte (1973) (And now, Let me Sleep)A work originating from the great India epic Vyasabharatha (Mahabharath).
10. Tippu Sultan (1959) HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHY 11. Jaathivyavasthithium Keralacharithravum (1983) (The Caste system and History of Kerala). A path breaking work in kerala history.
