https://indianpedia.org/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=100.34.125.15IndianPedia - User contributions [en]2026-07-30T17:21:38ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Fr._Abel&diff=84385Fr. Abel2020-09-04T17:07:33Z<p>100.34.125.15: </p>
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<div>{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| name = Rev. Fr. Abel<br />
| image =Abel-achan-kalabhavan.JPG <br />
| caption =Statue at Kalabhavan<br />
| birth_name = P. M. Mathew<br />
| birth_date =19 January 1920<br />
| birth_place = [[Mulakulam]], [[Travancore]], [[British Raj|British India]]<br />
| death_date ={{Death date and age|df=yes|2001|10|27|1920|01|19}}<br />
| death_place = [[Thodupuzha]], [[Kerala]], [[India]]<br />
| restingplace =<br />
| restingplacecoordinates =<br />
| othername =<br />
| occupation = Catholic priest, Journalist, Lyricist <br />
| yearsactive = 1963-2001<br />
| spouse =<br />
| alma_mater = [[Sapienza University of Rome|University of Rome]] (PhD)<br />
| children =<br />
| relatives = <br />
| parents =<br />
| influences =<br />
| influenced =<br />
| website =<br />
| awards =<br />
}}<br />
'''Reverend Father Abel Periyappuram''', [[Carmelites of Mary Immaculate|C.M.I.]], (born Periyappuram Mathan Vaidyar Mathew, 19 January 1920 - 27 October 2001), commonly known as '''Fr. Abel''', was an Indian [[Syro-Malabar Church|Syro-Malabar Catholic]] [[Carmelites of Mary Immaculate|CMI priest]], journalist, and lyricist, best known as the founding father of [[Kalabhavan]], a centre for learning performance arts in [[Kochi]], [[India]].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Story of Kalabhavan Fr. Abel About Kalabhavan Academy Art Gallery Degree Courses|url = http://kalabhavan.org/about-us.php|website = kalabhavan.org|accessdate = 2015-10-19}}</ref> Fr. Abel, with the help of [[K. K. Antony]], a music teacher, and [[K. J. Yesudas|Yesudas]], then a budding playback singer, started Kalabhavan as the Christian Arts Club to promote Christian music, in the year 1969. Soon, with the support of [[List of Major Archbishops of the Syro-Malabar Church|Major Archbishop]] Mar [[Joseph Parecattil]] and the [[Syro-Malabar Catholic Major Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly|Archdiocese of Eranakulam]], the Club was registered as Kalabhavan.<ref>{{Cite web|title = K. K. Antony|url = http://www.thecmsindia.org/antonymaster-biography.html#sbio|website = www.thecmsindia.org|accessdate = 2015-10-19}}</ref><br />
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==Early life and education==<br />
Fr. Abel was born on 19 January 1920 in [[Mulakulam]] village ( near [[Piravom]] ) as Mathew to Periyappuram Mathen Vidyan and Aleyamma, as their fifth child. In the 1940s, he set out for pastoral studies at Mannanam, Thevara and Koonammavu. He later went to Mangalore and was ordained as a priest in 1951.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title = Kerala Celebrities - God's own country Kerala, India|url = http://www.kerala.com/kerala_Celebrities/kerala_celebrity_fr_Abel.php|website = www.kerala.com|accessdate = 2015-10-20}}</ref><br />
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==Career==<br />
In 1952, he joined the Deepika Daily at Kottayam as a journalist. The next year, he left for Rome, where, from the International University of Rome, he took a Doctorate in Journalism and Political Science. On returning to Kerala, he rejoined the Deepika Daily, where he worked as an Assistant Managing Director, till 1961. During this time, he started writing lyrics and poetry. He was then entrusted with a job of a professor at St. Joseph's College, Devagiri. On the request of [[Joseph Parecattil]], Fr. Abel moved to [[Ernakulam]] to translate Christian prayer books from Syriac to Malayalam. This gave him the idea of writing original devotional songs in Malayalam. He penned the lyrics to numerous songs which were set to music by [[K. K. Antony]]. Their music was successful among the public as well as with the clergy. [[Kalabhavan]] was started in 1963 to train young artists in formal music education.<ref name=":0" /><br />
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==Death==<br />
Fr. Abel died on 27 October 2001, at the age of 81 at [[Thodupuzha]], following a cardiac arrest. His body was kept at Ernakulam Town Hall for the public to pay homage, two days later.<br />
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== References ==<br />
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[[Category:1920 births]]<br />
[[Category:2001 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Syro-Malabar priests]]<br />
[[Category:Journalists from Kerala]]<br />
[[Category:Malayalam-language lyricists]]<br />
[[Category:Musicians from Kochi]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian musicians]]</div>100.34.125.15