Kudallur (Pattambi)

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Kudallur, a beautiful and calm Kerala village on the banks of Bharathapuzha is in the Ottappalam taluk of Palakkad district. Scenic range of hills, wide paddy fields and the magic beauty of River Nila blends Kudallur into an exotic place. The village is famous for its illustrious son writer M.T.Vasudevan Nair. The other well known personality from here is artist Achutan Kudallur. It is at Kudallur, exactly at Koottakadavu the two rivers Nila and Thootha meet. The name 'Kudallur' ( or Koodal Ooru ) is believed to be formed from this merge of two rivers.

How to reach here..? Kudallur is 9kms away from Kuttippuram railway station and 15kms away from Pattambi railway station. Nearest towns are Thrithala and Kumbidi.

Kudallur.com is an effort to make the world know about the village and how special it is. The site aims at those people from the village who are currently residing in different parts of the world, especially in Middle-East. The site will be adding more services soon, so that everyone gets connected to the village.

M. T. Vasudevan Nair,

Popularly known as MT, is a renowned Malayalam author, screenplay writer and film director. He was born on July 15, 1933 in Kudallur, a small village in Palakkad district, in the Indian state of Kerala. He is one of the most prolific and versatile writers in modern Malayalam literature. His novels, short stories and screenplays speak of the pain and anguish of the Kerala society in the post independence India. He has won the National Film Award for Best Screenplay four times.

The essence of his work is self-suffering and its emotional intensity holds the readers captivated. The story of Kudallur village and Bharathapuzha are the most repeated and favourite theme. He explores the silences in life, in the folk tales of forgotten heroes and in the legends of warriors from epics forever retold.

Awards and Milestones

MT was awarded the highest literary award in India, the Jnanpith in 1995.
He is also the recipient of:

State Sahithya Academy and Sahithya Academy
National Award for Best Screenplay (five times)
National Award and for Best Film & Actor (1973/Nirmalyam/PJ Anthony)
Kerala State Award for Best Film & Screenplay (1978/Bandhanam)
Kerala State Award for Best Film (1991/Kadavu)
MT's oeuvre consists of novels, short-stories, film scripts and non-fiction works on literary themes. The US Library of Congress has in its collection sixty-two books by MT or on him. His close friendship with the giant of Malayalam literature, Vaikom Muhammed Basheer was well chronicled. MT was severely criticised by artist Devan for his 'alleged hunger for power' and 'haste in getting to the chair in Delhi' when the celebrations of Nalukettu were going on.

Major works

Novels

Manju (Mist)
Kalam (Time)
Nalukettu (Ancestral House)
Asuravithu (Seed of the Demon)
Vilapayathra (The Funeral Procession)
Pathiravum Pakalvelichavum (Midnight and Daylight)
Arabipponnu (The Gold of Arabia, written with N. P. Muhammed)
Randamoozham (Second Turn)
Varanasi (Benares)

Stories

Iruttinte Atmavu (The Soul of the Darkness)
Olavum Theeravum (Ripple and Shore)
Kuttyedathi
Varikkuzhi (The Trap)
Pathanam (The Fall)
Bandhanam (The Binding)
Swargam Thurakkunna Samayam (The Time When Heaven Opens)
Ninte (Yours)
Vanaprastham
Dar-es-salam
Raktham Puranda Mantharikal
Veyilum Nilavum (The Sunlight and Moonlight)
Kaliveedu
Vedanayude Pookkal (The Flowers of Sorrow)
Sherlock

Screenplays

Olavum Theeravum
Murappennu
Nagarame Nanni
Asuravithu
Pakalkkinavu
Iruttinte Atmavu
Kuttiyedathi
Oppol
Edavazhiyile Poocha Mindapoocha
Evideyo Oru Shatru
Ennu Swantham Janakikkuttikku (based on the short story Cheriya cheriya bhookampangal)
Vellam
Panchagni
Nakhakshatangal
Amritam Gamaya
Aaroodam
Allkottathil Thaniye
Adiyozhukkukal
Uyarangalil
Rithubhedam
Vaishaali
Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha
Utharam
Perunthachan
Sukrutham
Parinayam
Teerthadanam (based on his story Vanaprastham)
Aaranyakam
Pazhassi Raja
Sadayam
Oru cheru punjiri

Films and Documentaries

Nirmalyam (Offerings, 1973)
Mohini Attam (Documentary, 1977)
Bandhanam (Bounding Ties, 1978)
Manju (Mist, 1982)
Varikuzhy (The Trap, 1982)
Kadavu (Ferry, 1991)
Oru Cheru Punchiri (A slender smile, 2000)
Thakazhi (Documentary on Malayalam writer Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai)