V. V. K. Valath

Vadakke Valath Krishnan (25 December 1918 – 31 December 2000), commonly known as V. V. K. Valath, was an Indian writer, poet, toponymist and historian of Malayalam language. One of the pioneers of toponymy in Kerala, he focused on the origin of place names in the state as the subject of his works which are known for their attention to historic detail. He wrote poems, short-stories, novels, and over 400 historical articles and his most notable works are Rigvedathilude (a study of Rigveda), Keralathile Stalacharitrangal (History of Places in Kerala), and poetry anthologies, Idimuzhakkam (The Thunder Rumble) and Minnal Velicham (The Thunder Flash). Kerala Sahitya Akademi awarded him their annual award for overall contributions in 1999. He was also a fellow of the Place Names Society and a recipient of the Pandit Karuppan Award.

Biography V. V. K. Valath was born on the Christmas Day of 1918 at Valam, a small hamlet between South Chittoor and Cheranellore, near Edapally in Ernakulam district of the south Indian state of Kerala to Vadakke Valath Velu Asan and Paru. After early schooling at Little Flower Upper Primary School, Cheranellore, he passed the tenth standard examination from St. Albert's High School, Ernakulam before completing the teachers' training course. His career started as a civilian clerk in Indian Army, stationed in Whitefield, Bangalore and on his return to Kerala, he taught at his alma mater, Little Flower Upper Primary School, for a short period, before joining Al Farookiya High School, Cheranellore where he spent the rest of his teaching career spanning 27 years until his superannuation from service. Einstein Valath, a writer and Socrates K. Valath, a writer as well as a screenwriter. He died on the last day of 2000, at his rented house in North Paravur, at the age of 82.

Legacy and honours Though not involved in active politics, Valath was attracted to communist ideals and his works focused mainly on the effects of capitalism and poverty. Idimuzhakkam, MinnalVelicham, Chakravalathinapuram, Randu Mazha Veenalo and Aarkkariyanam were written in free verse. In late 1960s, he shifted his attention to Kerala history and its links to Sangam literature and published his first book on Kerala history, Keralathile Stalacharitrangal, in 1969. Later, he furthered his research with assistance from Kerala Sahitya Akademi, and published four books on toponymy viz. Keralathile Stalacharitrangal: Thrissur, Keralathile Stalacharitrangal: Ernakulam, Keralathile Stalacharitrangal: Palakkad and Keralathile Stalacharitrangal: Trivandrum. His work, Rigvedathilude, is an attempt to relate the Rigveda to the history of the land and the book detailed the customs and culture of vedic age India. He was also a fellow of the Place Names Society of India and a recipient of the Pandit Karuppan Award.

Selected bibliography

Poems

Short stories

Ayakkanja Kathu (The Mail that was Never Sent)

Novel Ivide Oru Kamukan Marikunnu (Here Dies a Lover)

Biography

Scholarly works