Kunchan Nambiar

Kunchan Nambiar’s original name was Kalakkathu Kunchan Nambiar. He was a famous Malayalam poet of the eighteenth century (1705 – 1770). He was born on May 5, 1705. Kunchan Nambiar’s place of birth is Kalakkathu Veedu at Killikkurussimangalam village in the district of Palakkad, Kerala, India. At Killikkurussimangalam, he spent his early childhood and boyhood at Kudamaloor. He spent his young days at Ambalappuzha. Before moving to the Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma of Travancore in 1978, Kunchan Nambiar learned Sanskrit and Kalaripayattu from Dronaballi Naicker, Mathoor Panickar, and Nannikod Unni Ravi Kurup. Later, when Dharma Raja (Rama Varma I) succeeded the throne, he served in the court.

Kunchan Nambiar was well-known as the master of Malayalam satirist poetry and ‘Founder of Thullal Prathanam,’ in which Ottam Thullal with rigor steps is most famous. He introduced the Ottam Thullal, a recite-and-dance art form of Kerala in the eighteenth century. The rest two derivatives of Thullal are Parayan Thullal and Sheetangan. He performed Ottam Thullal in Ampalapuzha Krishna Temple for the first time. He has written sixty-four thullal stories. Also, he developed new meters (Vaytari meters) based on the vocal notation for many talas. He was also one of the most famous comedians in Malayalam. 

Kunchan Nambiar returned to Ambalapuzha, where he died at the age of sixty-five in 1770, reportedly due to rabies. The government of Kerala observes his birthday, May 5, as Kunchan Day. The government also established a society, “Kunjan Nambiar Memorial Society.” The government oversees the management of many memorials, including Kalakathu Bhavanam, Kunchan Memorial Library, Nambiar’s house in Killikkurussimangalam, Kunchan Nambiar Memorial in Ambalappuzha, Kunchan Memorial Society, and Kunchan Memorial Arts Society. In honor of the poet, the state government built a “Kunchan Smarakam Fort” and the monument houses, an institution that encourages the teaching of satirist art forms.

Kunchan Nambiar’s works include at least twenty-one Otttan, nine Parayan, and eleven Seethankan compositions. The most important of his Thullals are Ghoshayathra, Syamanthakam, Santhanagopalam, Patracharitham, Bakavadham, Kiratham, Kalyana Saugandhikam, Thripuradahanam, Harinniswayamvaram, and Sabha Pravesham.