Kozhikode: The 135th anniversary of Cheruvalath Chathu Nair's novel 'Meenakshi', which was released after 'Kundalatha' and 'Indulekha', is being celebrated in Arikkulam in Koyilandy. The celebration is being organised by Arikkulam Gram Panchayat and Kerala Sahitya Akademi. The program will be held at KarayadMani Madhava Chakyar Kalapadana Kendra on October 11. Writer M Mukundan will inaugurate the program at 3 pm. Dr P Pavithran, EP Rajagopalan, Jisa Jose, Prof CP Aboobacker and others will deliver lectures on various topics.

'Meenakshi' is a novel written by Thikkodi Cheruvalath Chathu Nair. Meenakshi is considered the sister of the novels 'Kundalatha' and 'Indulekha'. 'Kundalatha' was written in 1887. Two years later, 'Indulekha' followed and the next year, 'Meenakshi'.

Another novel was published right after 'Meenakshi'. 'Indumathi Swayamvaram'. Both these works were published in 1890. 'Parangodi Parinayam', a satirical work published in 1892, also originated from Kozhikode. Since the first novels in Malayalam originated from this district, the tradition of Malayalam storytelling belongs to Kozhikode. 'Kundalatha', which is considered to be the first novel in Malayalam, was written by Rao Bahadur Appu Nedungadi T M. His close friend Oyyarathu Chandu Menon was the author of 'Indulekha' (1889). Chathu Nair published 'Meenakshi' in 1890. 'Indumathi Swayamvaram' was written by PC Ammavan Raja of Mangavu Padinjare Kovilakam in Kozhikode. This novel was also written in 1890. While 'Kundalatha', considered the first novel, and 'Indulekha', the first major novel in the Malayalam language, gained popularity in Malayalam literature, for some reason, 'Meenakshi' did not receive the attention or fame it deserved. Born in a landowning family in Pallikkara, Chathu Nair became a Sanskrit teacher at the BEM School in Kozhikode after obtaining higher education. Chathu Nair says in the introduction to the novel that he began writing 'Meenakshi' in March 1890 and completed it in November.

This work emphasises the need for higher education among upper-caste women and criticises the immoralities and vices of the 19th century. It also faced strong opposition and criticism from within the community.

He has also faced ostracism from the community for bringing his wife, who hails from a high-caste family, to Kozhikode and settling near the school where he works. At that time, the upper-caste women of North Malabar were not allowed to cross the Korapuzha and come south. Those who violated it were expelled from the community. Chathu Nair's wife, Mathu Amma of the Vettiyott family in the Karayadu, also had to face this 'defamation'.

The novel 'Meenakshi' points out the customs and rituals of Malabar in the 18th century, the socio-economic conditions, and the crises and fears faced by the people who were moving from the primitive to the modern.

This is the first event after the novel's centenary was celebrated in Payyoli.