Kunchan Nambiar - Extracts From Kunchan Nambiar's Poems/writings

Extracts From Kunchan Nambiar's Poems/writings

Kunchan Nambiar is believed to have written over forty Tullal composition. Some scholars allot a larger number to his credit. They belong to all the three types: 21 Otttan, 11 Sitankan and 9 Parayan. The most important of Nambiar's Thullals are: Syamantakam, Ghoshayatra, Kiratam, Santanagopalam, Patracaritam, Kartaviryarijunavijam, Bakavadham, Kalyana Saugandhikam, Hariniswayamvaram, Tripuradakanam and Sabha Pravesam. Nambiar was an extrovert and observed the life around very closely. He was also very critical of the social evils he saw around him. Thus even when the main story is from the Hindu Puranas, he would introduce digressions in plenty and use such occasions to comment on life in his own time. He did not worry about the charge of anachronism. He knew his audience very well: not scholars and poets, but laymen, especially soldiers, barely literate. In one of his works he says:

It is impossible to entertain without laughter

Those soldiers who think they should stay

If it is a comic tale, or else shouldn't leave the place.

He is comparable to Chaucer and Rabelais for his boisterous humour and knowledge of contemporary life. Like them, he too borders on the obsence at times, as a matter of concession to the audience or readers. All classes of people and all professions come in for sharp criticism in his compositions: Nambudiris, Tamil Brahmins, Nayars, courtiers, courtesans. Nambiar is undoubtedly the greatest satirist in Malayalam. An example of how he introduced a satire on contemporary life into a text based on a puranic episode may be found in the following passage from Kartavirarjuna Vijayam. Ravana is speaking to Narada about his own prowess that has reduced other kings to utter misery:

The kingdom of the Gandharaka ruler

Has turned into a mere desert.

The land of the Simhala King

Is now filled with lions and leopards.

The lord of the Chera people

Feeds himself on cheap vegetables.

The Chola King has nothing to eat

Except the maize of low quality

The kings of the Kuru house

Have nothing but jackfruit seeds.

The lord of the land of Kashmir

Is busy eating cucumbers.

The ruler of the Champeya land

Eats only tubers and broken rice.

The Konkan prince is about to die

Thinking of his wives' breasts.

After Ravana reaches Hehaya, his messengers announce that everybody should owe allegiance to him:

Tributes must be paid from time to time;

Half the yield should be given to me.

The whole of pepper yield should be handed over

Coconut, arecanut, mango, jackfruit:

All the trees should be confiscated.

There will be no place in my country

For the pomp of local barons.

Double the seed crop should be given

To me by every houseowner.

The Tamil Brahmins (Pattars) staying here

Should also give one fourth to me.

The Nayars who stay at home

Should take their bows and spears

And stay at the residence of Ravana

And do whatever chores are assigned.

Nayars who drink toddy

Would be beaten up, beware!