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Koshy Koshy also spelled as Koshi Koshi (1825–1899) was an Indian Anglican priest and Malayalam novelist.
Early life
Koshy was born in the Kingdom of Travancore, to a Nazrani family, part of the Malankara Syrian Church. However, when he was 11 years old (1836), his family converted to Anglicanism, under the influence of the Church Mission Society.Template:Sfn
Priesthood
Koshy desired to enter his Church's ministry and studied at the Pazhaya Seminary, Kottayam.Template:Sfn By 1844, he was a scholar in Sanskrit, Latin and English languages.Template:Sfn In 1856, he was received into the diaconate. In 1859, he was ordained as a priest in the Anglican Church.Template:Sfn In the nineteenth century, the highest office attained by Indians within the Anglican Church was that of an archdeacon.Template:Sfn In 1885, Rev. K. Koshy became the first Indian to be raised to the rank of an archdeacon.Template:Sfn
Literary pursuits
Archdeacon Koshy was one of the original Malayalam litterateurs. He wrote over 10 books, including Pulleli Kunju, Bhasmakuri and Thiruvavatharamahatmyam.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Pulleli Kunju (1882) is regarded as the first novellike original work on a local theme, in Malayalam.Template:Sfn He also translated John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress (Paradesi Mokshayathra, 1845) and The Holy War (Thirupporattam), to Malayalam.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
Adn. Koshy was the editor of Njananikshepam (published since 1840), the first Malayalam periodical.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn His most important religious contribution was with respect to the revision of the Malayalam Bible (1872–1898). The Archbishop of Canterbury Edward White Benson conferred on Koshy, a Lambeth Doctorate, for his pre-eminent role in that.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
See also
References
Bibliography
- The Decline of Nayar Dominance: Society and Politics in Travancore, 1847-1908{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Vikas Publishing House(1976). ISBN 978-0-7069-0486-4
- Indian Christian who is who{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Bombay Parish Church of the East(1983)
- History of the CSI Central Kerala Diocese, Chapters 1, 2 & 3. www.csimichigan.org.
- The History of the Church Missionary Society: Its Environment, Its Men and Its Work{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Church Missionary Society(1899)
- Influence of English on Malayalam Novels{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. College Book House(1978)
- Western Influence on Malayalam Language and Literature{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Sahitya Akademi(1972). ISBN 978-81-260-0413-3
- A History of Malayalam Literature{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Orient Longman(1971). ISBN 978-0-8046-8805-5