->WhyIsNameSoHardOmg- - at 11:36, 31 December 2021

2021-12-31T11:36:11Z

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{{short description|Indian composer and poet (1868–1914)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = K. C. Kesava Pillai
| image = K.c.kesavapillai.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1868|2|4}}
| birth_place = [[Paravur, Kollam]], [[Kerala]], India
| death_date = {{death date and age|1914|9|2|1868|2|4}}<ref>{{cite book|title=The Journal of the Music Academy, Madras|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VpvjAAAAMAAJ|year=2001|publisher=Music Academy|page=180}}</ref>
| death_place = Kerala, India
| nationality = [[India]]n
| genre =
| occupation = Teacher, poet, musician
| notableworks = {{ubl|''Kesaviyam''|''Adimalarina''|''Asanna Marana Chitha Sathakam''|''Sadarama''|''Bhashanarayaniyam''}}
| spouse = Kalyani Amma<br>Nanikutty Amma
| children =
| relatives = Valiyavelichathu Veettil Raman Pillai (father)<br> Desathu Lakshmy Amma (mother)<br>[[R. Narayana Panickar]]
| awards =
| signature =
}}
'''Kanakku Chembakaraman Kesava Pillai''' (1868–1914) was an Indian composer of [[Carnatic music]] and a poet of [[Malayalam literature]]. He was the Poet Laureate of [[Travancore]] and was known for ''Kesaveeyam'', a [[mahakavya]] in Malayalam, two [[Attakatha (performance)|attakathas]] and several [[bhajans]] and [[kirtans]]. He also translated the [[Sanskrit]] text, [[Narayaniyam]], into Malayalam under the title, ''Bhashanarayaniyam''.

== Biography ==
K. C. Kesava Pillai{{Refn|group=note|K. C. stands for ''Kanakku Chembakaraman'', a title given to Pillai's maternal family by the [[Maharajah of Travancore]]}} was born on February 4, 1868 in [[Paravur, Kollam|Paravur]] in [[Kollam]] district of [[Kerala]] in [[India]] to Valiyavelichathu Veettil Raman Pillai and Desathu Lakshmy Amma.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/KCKesavapillai/Html/KCKPillaigraphy.htm |title=Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |date=2019-03-07 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |access-date=2019-03-07}}</ref> His early schooling was at Paravur Malayalam School where he studied up to 5th standard and followed it up with Sanskrit studies under the tutelage of Paravur Kesavan Asan and grammar studies under Enakkattu Rajaraja Varma.<ref name="K. C. Kesava Pillai - Veethi profile">{{Cite web |url=https://www.veethi.com/india-people/k._c._kesava_pillai-profile-4517-25.htm |title=K. C. Kesava Pillai - Veethi profile |date=2019-03-07 |website=veethi.com |access-date=2019-03-07}}</ref> As a boy, Pillai regularly watched [[Kathakali]] and learnt the basics of [[Kathakali]] literature, costumes and [[mudra]]s, besides gaining proficiency in music. Aged 15, he wrote his first [[aattakatha (performance)|attakadha]], ''Prahladacharitham''.<ref name="A comprehensive website on the life and music of Swathi Thirunal">{{Cite web |url=http://www.swathithirunal.in/articles/kcbhagyalekshmi.htm |title=A comprehensive website on the life and music of Swathi Thirunal |date=2019-03-07 |website=www.swathithirunal.in |access-date=2019-03-07}}</ref> Simultaneously, he studied English with the help of a few friends while working as a Sanskrit teacher at a Vaidya School. In 1897, he joined as a Sanskrit teacher at a Malayalam school in Kollam but shifted to an English school in 1901 before moving to [[Thiruvananthapuram]] in 1901 as the teacher of Velayudhan Thampi, the son of [[Sree Moolam Thirunal]], the then [[Maharajah of Travancore]].<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal" />

Pillai married Kalyani Amma in 1890 but she died after two years. He married again in 1894; Nanikutty Amma, his father's niece, was the bride. A close associate of [[Pandalam Kerala Varma]] and [[A. R. Raja Raja Varma]], Pillai died on September 4, 1913, at the age of 45 years.<ref name="A comprehensive website on the life and music of Swathi Thirunal" /> On account of his musical and poetical achievements, he was awarded the title of ''Sarasa Gayaka Kavimani'' by [[Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran]].<ref name="Sarasa gayaka kavimani K C Kesava Pillai">{{Cite book |url=http://opac.ssus.ac.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=40658 |title=Sarasa gayaka kavimani K C Kesava Pillai |last=Jayakumar Vijayalayam |date=1987 |publisher=National |location=Kottayam}}</ref> Noted writer and Sahitya Akademi Award winner, [[R. Narayana Panickar]], was his son-in-law.<ref name="Biography of R. Narayana Panikkar">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/Profiles/RNarayanaPanikkar/Html/RNPanikkargraphy.htm |title=Biography of R. Narayana Panikkar |date=2019-04-09 |website=Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref>

== Legacy ==
=== Literary work ===
Kesava Pillai's body of literary work, written in Sanskrit and Malayalam languages, comprises an epic, three [[Attakatha (performance)|attakathas]] for [[Kathakali]], two [[Ottan Thullal|Thullal]] songs, eleven short poems, six [[Khanta Kavyam|khandakavyas]], four plays, two stories and four commentaries.<ref name="List of works">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/KCKesavapillai/Html/KCKesavapillaibooks.htm |title=List of works |date=2019-03-07 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |access-date=2019-03-07}}</ref> He wrote ''Prahlaada Charitham'', later renamed, ''Hiranyasuravadham'', the first of this three attakathas, when he was only 15. It was reported that Pillai, with his advice, assisted [[A. R. Rajaraja Varma]] in writing ''Vritha Manjari''.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal" /> His plays, such as ''Lakshmikalyanam'', were reported to portray the social life of the Nair community of his times.<ref name="George1972">{{cite book|author=K. M. George|title=Western Influence on Malayalam Language and Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MZqqyxVkufQC&pg=PA147|year=1972|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-260-0413-3|pages=147–}}</ref> ''Kesaviyam'', a [[mahakavya]] and ''Kerala Varma Vilasam'', a poem on the life of [[Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran]] are two of his major works.<ref name="Menon1990">{{cite book|author=T. K. Krishna Menon|title=A Primer of Malayalam Literature|url=https://archive.org/details/primerofmalayala0000kris|year=1990|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=978-81-206-0603-6|pages=[https://archive.org/details/primerofmalayala0000kris/page/63 63]–}}</ref> ''Kesaviyam'' has been written without observing the ''[[Rhyme#Sanskrit|dvitīyākṣara prāsa]]'' (second syllable rhyming), which was in vogue during those times.<ref name="George1992">{{cite book|author=K. M. George|title=Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology: Surveys and poems|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m1R2Pa3f7r0C&pg=PA238|year=1992|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-7201-324-0|pages=238–}}</ref>

=== Music ===
Pillai composed six compositions, including ''Ganamalika'', which has two volumes, besides over 100 songs.<ref name="List of works" /> ''Sadarama'', one of his compositions,<ref name="Das2005">{{cite book|author=Sisir Kumar Das|title=History of Indian Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sHklK65TKQ0C&pg=PA274|year=2005|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-7201-006-5|pages=274–}}</ref><ref name="Datta1988">{{cite book|author=Amaresh Datta|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Devraj to Jyoti|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zB4n3MVozbUC&pg=PA1083|year=1988|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-260-1194-0|pages=1083–}}</ref> is composed in the form of a ''Geya nataka'', while ''Sangitamalika'' is an ensemble of 42 songs. The majority of his songs are devotional and are composed in ragas such as [[Todi (raga)|Todi]], [[Sankarabharanam (ragam)|Sankarabharanam]], [[Mohanam]], [[Kapi (raga)|Kapi]], [[Kalyani (raga)|Kalyani]] and [[Pantuvarali]].<ref name="A comprehensive website on the life and music of Swathi Thirunal" /><ref name="Madhavan2011">{{cite book|author=A D Madhavan|title=Core of Karnatic Music|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ce6vDQAAQBAJ&pg=RA4-PA405|date=25 January 2011|publisher=DC Books|isbn=978-93-81699-00-3|pages=4–}}</ref> One of his songs, 'Omanappennallayo...'' has been reworked by the Malayalam music director, [[M. Jayachandran]], for the 2010 film, [[Kadaksham]].<ref name="Omanappennallayo ... (Kadaaksham - 2010)">{{Cite web |url=https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/song.php?i=17258 |title=Omanappennallayo ... (Kadaaksham - 2010) |date=2019-03-08 |website=www.malayalachalachithram.com |access-date=2019-03-08}}</ref>

== Bibliography ==
=== Attakadha ===
{{Div col|colwidth=40em}}
*''Prahlaada Charitham'', later renamed, ''Hiranyasuravadham''
*''Soorapadmasuravadham''
*''Sreekrishnavijayam''
{{div col end}}

=== Poetry ===
{{Div col|colwidth=40em}}
*''Asanna Marana Chinta Satakam'' (Reflections of a Dying Man) although written for a competition, is a touching lyrical monologue with a predominant elegiac tone and anticipates the Khandakavyas or shorter poems of the poets of the renaissance. It has an underground connection with C. S. Subramanian Potti's Oruvilapam (A Lament: 1903), [[V. C. Balakrishna Panicker]]'s Oruvilapam (A Lament:1908) and even [[Kumaran Asan]]'s ''[[Veena Poovu (poem)|Veena Poovu]]'' (A Fallen Flower:1907) which may be thought of an elegy in disguise.
*''Adimalarina'': A ragamalika in four languages: [[Malayalam language|Malayalam]], [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[English language|English]] and [[Sanskrit]].
*''Satya Swaroopavibho'' in [[raga]] ''[[Dheerasankarabharanam|Sankarabharana]]''
*''Bhajikka Nee Ramane'' in ''[[Mohanam]]''
*''Koti Divakara'' in ''[[Dhanyasi]]''
*''Nana Jaathikal'' in ''[[Kambhoji]]''
*''Vande Maatharam'' in ''Sindhubhairavi''
*''Vande Maatharam'' in ''Kuntalavarali''
*''Kamalanatha'' in ''[[Hanumatodi|Thodi]]''
*''Sree vasudeva'' in ''[[Kāpi]]''
*''Sreemoolarajavijayam'', 1894, submitted to [[Moolam Thirunal of Travancore|Sree Moolam Thirunal Maharaja]].
*''Aasannamaranachintasatakam'': a work consisting of 104 [[slokas]] (songs in [[Carnatic music]] or Indian music praising God) in Saardoolavikriditham.
*''Kerala Bhashaa Narayaneeya''m: a translation of Narayaneeyam in Malayalam.
*''Subhashitha Ratnakaram''
*''Abhinayamalika''
*''Kesaviyam'': A mahakavya modeled on the Sanskrit pattern, adhering to the rules of structure and style of the classical rhetorician, Dandi.<ref name="kesaveeyam">{{Cite web |url=http://keralaliterature.com/old/book.php?bukid=1702 |title=kesaveeyam |website=keralaliterature.com |access-date=2019-03-08}}</ref>
*''Sadarama'' (A popular [[Tamil language|Tamil]] musical play)
*A selection of attakkathas.
{{div col end}}

=== Plays ===
{{Div col|colwidth=40em}}
*''Lekshmi Kalyanam''
*''Raghava Madhavam''
*''Vikramorvaseeyam''
*''Sadaarama''
{{div col end}}

=== Other works===
* {{Cite book |url=https://buybooks.mathrubhumi.com/product/jyothisha-gurubhoothan/ |title=Jyothisha Gurubhoothan |last=K.C. Kesava Pillai |publisher=Mathrubhumi |language=en-US}}

=== Musical compositions ===
{{Div col|colwidth=40em}}
*''Sangeetha manjari'' and ''Sthavaratnavali'': both contain [[kriti]]s and [[bhajan]] songs
*''Sangeethamaalika'' and
*''Eswarasthothranga''
*''Sthavaratnamalika''
* {{Cite book |url=http://raaga.org.in/composed-by/kc-kesava-pillai/ |title=Maya Gopala Bala |last=K. C. Kesava Pillai |publisher=Raaga |language=Sanskrit |quote=Raaga : Kaapi, Thaala: Aadi thala}}
{{div col end}}

=== Works on Kesava Pillai ===
* {{Cite book |url=http://www.indulekha.com/k-c-kesavapillai-kavithayude-samkramanakaalam-study-a-alice |title=K C Kesava Pillai: Kavithayude Samkramana Kaalam |last=A. Alice |publisher=National Book Stall |year=2014 |page=144 |language=Malayalam |quote=A study on the literary contributions of poet K C Kesava Pillai}}

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite web |url=https://ml.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%B4%95%E0%B5%87%E0%B4%B6%E0%B4%B5%E0%B5%80%E0%B4%AF%E0%B4%82 |title=Kesaviyam |date=2019-03-08 |website=Wikisource |access-date=2019-03-08}}
* {{Cite web |url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/7633?mode=full |title=K C Kesava Pillai transitional period poet: a study on the basis of his work |last=Alice, A |publisher=Department of Malayalam Literature, Mahatma Gandhi University |page=196 |language=Malayalam}}

== External links ==
* {{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/KCKesavapillai/Html/KCKesavapillai.htm |title=Portrait commissioned by Kerala Sahitya Akademi |date=2019-03-07 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |access-date=2019-03-07}}
* {{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1EI8Ok8zd8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/R1EI8Ok8zd8 |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Jayasadajitha - a K.C.Kesava Pillai composition |date=2011-10-16 |website=YouTube |access-date=2019-03-07}}{{cbignore}}
* {{cite book|author1=Nalini Natarajan|author2=Emmanuel Sampath Nelson|title=Handbook of Twentieth-century Literatures of India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lTnv6o-d_oC&pg=PA188%7Cyear%3D1996%7Cpublisher%3DGreenwood+Publishing+Group%7Cisbn%3D978-0-313-28778-7%7Cpages%3D188%E2%80%93%7D%7D%3C%2Fref%3E|year=1996|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-28778-7|pages=188–}}
* {{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyEmge4XbIw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/FyEmge4XbIw |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=K C Kesava Pillai - Sameeksha |date=2015-01-24 |website=YouTube |publisher=Doordarshan |access-date=2019-05-29 |quote=documentary}}{{cbignore}}

{{Authority control}}
{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}
{{Paravur |state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pillai, Kesava K. C.}}
[[Category:Malayalam poets]]
[[Category:Malayalam-language writers]]
[[Category:Indian Sanskrit scholars]]
[[Category:Musicians from Kollam]]
[[Category:1868 births]]
[[Category:1914 deaths]]
[[Category:Writers from Kollam]]
[[Category:Carnatic composers]]
[[Category:Indian male composers]]
[[Category:Indian classical composers]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian composers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian composers]]
[[Category:People from Kollam district]]
[[Category:Indian male poets]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:Poets from Kerala]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:20th-century male musicians]]
[[Category:19th-century male musicians]]

K. C. Kesava Pillai - Revision history

->WhyIsNameSoHardOmg- - at 11:36, 31 December 2021