Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha (novel)

Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha
(Undying Echoes of Silence)
Author T. P. Rajeevan
Country India
Language Malayalam
Genre Mystery
Publisher Current Books (Original)
Amaryllis (English)
Publication date
 2009 (Original)
2013 (English)
Media type Print(Paperback)
Pages 304 (Original)
382 (English)

Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha is a best-selling Malayalam-language mystery novel by T. P. Rajeevan (Thachom Poyil Rajeevan).[1] It was originally serialised in Mathrubhumi Weekly and was published as a book by Current Books. Paleri Manikyam was first written in English when the author was residing in Iowa, United States. He wrote it in Malayalam after coming back to Kerala.[1] However, the English version, titled Undying Echoes of Silence, was released in August 2013 only.[2][3][4]

Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha literally translates to Manikyam of Paleri: A Midnight Murder Story and is based on the true story of the first recorded murder case that was registered after the formation of the first democratically elected communist government in Kerala.

Plot summary

The novel is set in Kerala in 1950s-an era of transition from feudal system to modern democracy. Manikyam, a young Thiyya girl, comes from the neighbouring village to Paleri as the wife of Pokkan, the assistant sorcerer of the village. She was found dead a few days after her marriage. Her close relatives suspected it to be a murder, and investigations were carried out. A few people were suspected, arrested and questioned, only to be released by the court which described the prosecution's case as flawed. With no further investigation, the case had, since then, gone cold over the years, eventually acquiring the status of an unsolved mystery. Around 50 years later, a detective living in New Delhi, sets out on a journey to Paleri hoping to solve this mystery. The story is narrated in first person by the investigator.

Translation

Film adaptation

The novel was adapted into a film with the same title in 2009. It was scripted and directed by Ranjith and starred Mammootty in three different roles alongside Mythili, Shwetha Menon, Sreenivasan and Gowri Munjal.[5] The film was critically acclaimed but could not get the cult status the novel had achieved.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 P. Anima (August 30, 2009). "Mirrors and Windows". The Hindu. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Undying Echoes of Silence By T P Rajeevan". Amaryllis. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Undying Echoes of Silence- T.P. Rajeevan". Current Books. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  4. ↑ K. Santhosh (January 4, 2014). "Echoes through time". The Hindu. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  5. ↑ Saraswathy Nagarajan (December 3, 2009). "Unveiling a mystery". The Hindu. Retrieved March 31, 2014.

External links