O. V. Vijayan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ottupulackal Velukkuty Vijayan
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 2 July 1930 Palakkad, Malabar District, Madras Presidency, British India |
| Died | 30 March 2005 (aged 73) |
| Occupation | Novelist, short story writer, cartoonist, journalist |
| Genre | Novel, short story, essays |
| Subject | Social aspects |
| Literary movement | Modernism, Magical realism |
| Notable awards |
|
| Spouse | Teresa Vijayan |
| Children | Madhu Vijayan |
| Relatives | O. V. Usha (sister) |
Ottupulackal Velukkuty Vijayan (2 July 1930 – 30 March 2005), known as O. V. Vijayan, was a famous Indian writer and cartoonist. He wrote in Malayalam language, which is spoken in Kerala. He is most famous for his first novel, Khasakkinte Itihasam. O. V. Vijayan wrote six novels, many short stories, and essays.
Born in Palakkad in 1930, Vijayan studied at Victoria College. He also earned a master's degree in English literature. His first short story, "Tell Father Gonsalves", was written in 1953. His first novel, Khasakkinte Itihasam (The Legends of Khasak), came out in 1969. This book changed Malayalam fiction forever. It created a "pre-Khasak" and "post-Khasak" era in literature.
While Khasakkinte Itihasam is his most famous work, his later books showed a deeper, more spiritual side. These include Gurusagaram (The Infinity of Grace) and Thalamurakal (Generations). Vijayan wrote many short stories, from funny to thoughtful. He also translated most of his own works from Malayalam to English. He worked as a cartoonist and writer for newspapers like The Statesman and The Hindu.
Contents
Early Life and Education
O. V. Vijayan was born on 2 July 1930. He was born in Vilayanchaathanoor village in Palakkad district, Kerala. He was born early and was often sick as a child. Because of this, he spent a lot of time at home. His father, O. Velukkutty, was an officer in the Malabar Special Police. His youngest sister, O. V. Usha, is a well-known Malayalam poet.
Vijayan was mostly taught at home when he was young. He started formal school at age twelve. He joined Raja's High School in Kottakkal. He later graduated from Victoria College in Palakkad. He then earned a master's degree in English literature from Presidency College. Before becoming a journalist, Vijayan taught for a short time at Malabar Christian College.
Literary Works and Novels
O. V. Vijayan wrote many important books. His stories often explored deep ideas about life and society.
The Legends of Khasak
Khasakkinte Itihasam (The Legends of Khasak) was Vijayan's first novel. It took him twelve years to write and rewrite. The book was published in 1969. Before that, it was published in parts in a weekly magazine. This novel caused a big change in Malayalam literature. It made a clear line between older, romantic stories and newer, more experimental ones.
The novel is about a teacher named Ravi. He works in a small village called Khasak. The story explores his deep thoughts about why we exist. It also mixes real-life events with myths and legends. The book uses a special poetic language. This language combines words from Tamil, the local Palakkad dialect, and sanskritized Malayalam.
The Saga of Dharmapuri
Dharmapuranam (The Saga of Dharmapuri), published in 1985, is a political satire. A satire is a story that makes fun of something, often to show its flaws. In this book, Vijayan openly criticizes political systems. The main character, Sidhartha, is like Gautama Buddha. He helps people find understanding.
This novel was supposed to be published earlier, but it was delayed. This was because of a period called the Emergency in India. It was finally published in 1985. Later, an English version was released by Penguin Books.
Later Novels and Themes
Vijayan's third novel was Gurusagaram (The Infinity of Grace), published in 1987. This book is very different from his earlier works. It talks about the importance of a "Guru" (a spiritual teacher) in a person's life. The story shows that a Guru can be found everywhere and in everyone. The main character is a journalist from Kerala working in Delhi. He learns important lessons during the Indo-Pak war of 1971. This novel won several awards, including the Vayalar Award.
Madhuram Gayathi (1990) is an allegory. An allegory is a story that has a hidden meaning, often a moral or political one. This book mixes myths, spirituality, and nature. It tells a story about a world after a big disaster, where there is no love or harmony.
Pravachakante Vazhi (The Path of the Prophet; 1992) talks about how intuition (a gut feeling or inner knowing) is always the same. It says that all prophets share the same kind of wisdom. This spiritual lesson is learned during difficult times in Delhi.
Vijayan's last novel, Thalamurakal (Generations; 1997), is partly about his own life. It also tells the story of a family over four generations. The novel explores how a family searches for its own identity and history.
Other Writings
O. V. Vijayan wrote his first short story, "Tell Father Gonsalves," in 1953. His first collection of short stories, Three Wars, came out in 1957. His stories cover many topics, from funny to philosophical. They show different situations, moods, and writing styles.
One of his well-known English collections is After the Hanging and Other Stories. This book includes powerful stories like The Wart and The Foetus. These stories talk about the tough times during the Emergency in India. He also wrote many essays. He published a book of his cartoons called Ithiri Neramboke, Ithiri Darshanam (A Little Pastime, A little Vision) in 1990.
Vijayan was also a skilled writer in English. He translated most of his own Malayalam works into English. His English translations helped his stories and novels reach readers across India.
Cartoons and Journalism
Vijayan moved to Delhi in 1958 to work as a cartoonist. He joined Shankar's Weekly, a famous magazine, as a cartoonist and writer. In 1963, he became a staff cartoonist for Patriot newspaper. He also worked as an editorial cartoonist and political writer for The Statesman and The Hindu. Later, he became a freelance artist.
His cartoons also appeared in international publications like Far Eastern Economic Review and The New York Times. His cartoons often combined deep thoughts with politics. His strong comments on Indira Gandhi's Emergency rule and her return to power were very important in Indian cartooning history.
Later Life and Legacy
O. V. Vijayan was married to Theresa Gabriel, and they had a son named Madhu. He lived with Parkinson's disease for 20 years. He passed away on 30 March 2005, at the age of 74, in Hyderabad. He was survived by his wife and son. His body was brought to Kerala and cremated with full state honors.
Awards and Recognition
O. V. Vijayan received many awards for his writing. He won the Odakkuzhal Award for Khasakkinte Itihasam in 1970. His novel Gurusagaram earned him three awards: the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel (both in 1990), and the Vayalar Award in 1991.
In 1992, he received the very first Muttathu Varkey Award. The Government of Kerala gave him the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram in 2001. This is their highest literary honor. In the same year, he became an honorary fellow of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi. The Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan in 2003. This is one of India's highest civilian awards. His last award was the Mathrubhumi Literary Award in 2004.
A special memorial, the O. V. Vijayan Memorial, has been built by the Government of Kerala. It is located in Thasrak, the village that inspired his famous novel, Khasakkinte Ithihasam.
O. V. Vijayan Literary Award
The O. V. Vijayan Sahitya Puraskaram (O. V. Vijayan Literary Award) was started in 2011. It was created by the Naveena Samskarika Kala Kendram in Hyderabad. This award honors Vijayan, who spent his last days in Secunderabad. The award includes money, a special memento, and a certificate. It is given to the best book by a writer each year. Some past winners include Sarah Joseph and Zacharia.
See also
- List of Indian writers
