CHAPTER 5 : VAKKOM MOULAVI: MY GRANDFATHER, THE REBEL- SABIN IQBAL
About the author
•Sabin Iqbalis a well-established journalist and author of the critically acclaimed The
Cliffhangers. He is also festival director and curator of the Mathrubhumi International
Festival of Letters. "
About the Text
•Vakkom Moulavi was a man of many facets. But eight decades after his death, he is
remembered more, selectively though, as a religious reformer who led the Islamic renaissance
in Kerala than as a fearless journalist who had strong convictions of nationalism and a
visionary understanding of the power of journalism.
•In the essay "VakkomMoulavi: My Grandfather, the Rebel", his grandson Sabin Iqbal,states
that "Moulavi had a strong belief in the crucial role of themedia in social reformation and in
achieving and protecting civilrights and liberty."
•Iqbal was passing through Palayam, the centre of the city, He glancedto the other side as he
passed the Martyrs' Column. whenever heis in this area of the city, he always does. A granite
plaquedepicting the front page of the Swadeshabhimani newspaper,which was seized by the
then-king of Travancore in 1910, islocated next to the statue of Swadeshabhimani K
RamakrishnaPillai.
•He added that the man depicted in the textbooks did not match the familylegends and
numerous childhood recollections he had heard. Numerous letters from him and his family
claiming that VakkomMoulavi was not the person in the pictures. he images were of an
elderly man, but hisgrandfather passed away at the age of 58.
•In his book "Islamic Reform and Colonial Discourse onModern India: Socio-political and
Religious Thought of VakkomMoulavi", Jose Abraham Says, "Vakkom Moulavi is known as
the'father' of the Muslim socio religious reform movement in Kerala.
•In 1905, he started a Malayalam newspaper namedSwadeshabhimani (patriot) to educate
people about their rightsand responsibilities and campaign for a responsible
governmentcommitted to public welfare in Travancore. He used his journals-two in
Malayalam (Muslim in 1906 and Deepika in 031) and onein Arabic- Malayalam (al- Islam in
1918)-to motivate Muslims to pursue modern education and to bring them to the forefront of
thenationalist movement.
•In order to empower the people of Travancore, Vakkom Moulavifounded Swadeshabhimani
as a weekly in 1905. e Swadeshabhimani was the first newspaper in Kerala tosubscribe to the
Reuters news agency.
•One of the goals of Swadeshabhimani was to not "conceal any publicgrievances out of fear
of harm that may come to us." The first editor of Swadeshabhimani, was CP Govinda Pillai.
•He was looking for a young journalist whowould adhere to his ideas without wavering, and
he found that inRamakrishna Pillai. Ramakrishna Pillai shared the same luck inmatching up
, with the ideal colleague. Ramakrishna Pillai's integrity, patriotism, and political principles
aligned with those of Maulavi Abdul Khadir, who had implicit faith in them.
•Later Swadeshabhimani, confiscated the press, and sent the editor into exile.
•He was not only a kindnewspaper owner; he was also a fearless journalist, well- read,with
felicity of language, moral honesty, and an intent to spend even his last penny for its cause.
He was in debt when he passedaway at the comparatively early age of 58.
•The essay concluded by describing what the authorsaw in Thiruvananthapuram that July
afternoon when it was pouring hard. Near the monument of K. Ramakrishna Pillai, agranite
plaque recognizing Swadeshabhimani had fallen from the wall.
Kuttippuram Bridge Poem Summary
"The Kuttippuram Bridge" is a poem written by Edasseri Govindan Nair,
a prominent Malayalam poet, and dramatist, and translated into English
by A J Thomas. He was known as Edasseri and cared deeply about the
agricultural crisis and the issues that the average person faced.
The Kuttippuram Bridge" ("Kuttippuram Paalam"), one of his poems that
have been featured in most anthologies, was first published in the
Mathrubhumi weekly in 1954 before being added to his collection of
poetry Karutha Chettichikal (1955).
The poem, which was composed in response to the building of a bridge
across the Nila River, expresses the poet's unease and skepticism towards
the modernization process that is gradually encroaching on the rural area
in which he lives. Here, the bridge represents modernism. The writer
contrasts the river with the recently built bridge by expressing pride in
being on it and joy at the pinnacle of modernization's real advancement.
Standing on the bridge, the poet feels elation or bliss at being so high.
The narrator claims that it cost 23 lakh rupees to construct the
Kuttippuram Bridge. The bridge is large and robust, towering above the
Perar River. No boat would dare cross the river during the flood season,
and no kite could soar over the river. Thoughts of the bridge defying the
rivers might make the narrator chuckle with pride as the bridge stands
tall.
The poet remembers the time of pre-industrial agriculture and rural life
when people lived close to nature along the banks of the Nila/Perar. But
urbanization has encroached on the towns and villages, so people are cut
off from the natural world. The idea of trees, flowers, and traditional
"kavus" being extinct saddens the narrator. He worries if the river will
one day degrade into a stinking sewer. His village used to be a serene,
lovely spot.Due to the increased traffic and disappearance of the paddy
fields and meadows, it is now louder and less appealing. Walls are being
built everywhere, which causes a space problem. There is a lot of traffic
About the author
•Sabin Iqbalis a well-established journalist and author of the critically acclaimed The
Cliffhangers. He is also festival director and curator of the Mathrubhumi International
Festival of Letters. "
About the Text
•Vakkom Moulavi was a man of many facets. But eight decades after his death, he is
remembered more, selectively though, as a religious reformer who led the Islamic renaissance
in Kerala than as a fearless journalist who had strong convictions of nationalism and a
visionary understanding of the power of journalism.
•In the essay "VakkomMoulavi: My Grandfather, the Rebel", his grandson Sabin Iqbal,states
that "Moulavi had a strong belief in the crucial role of themedia in social reformation and in
achieving and protecting civilrights and liberty."
•Iqbal was passing through Palayam, the centre of the city, He glancedto the other side as he
passed the Martyrs' Column. whenever heis in this area of the city, he always does. A granite
plaquedepicting the front page of the Swadeshabhimani newspaper,which was seized by the
then-king of Travancore in 1910, islocated next to the statue of Swadeshabhimani K
RamakrishnaPillai.
•He added that the man depicted in the textbooks did not match the familylegends and
numerous childhood recollections he had heard. Numerous letters from him and his family
claiming that VakkomMoulavi was not the person in the pictures. he images were of an
elderly man, but hisgrandfather passed away at the age of 58.
•In his book "Islamic Reform and Colonial Discourse onModern India: Socio-political and
Religious Thought of VakkomMoulavi", Jose Abraham Says, "Vakkom Moulavi is known as
the'father' of the Muslim socio religious reform movement in Kerala.
•In 1905, he started a Malayalam newspaper namedSwadeshabhimani (patriot) to educate
people about their rightsand responsibilities and campaign for a responsible
governmentcommitted to public welfare in Travancore. He used his journals-two in
Malayalam (Muslim in 1906 and Deepika in 031) and onein Arabic- Malayalam (al- Islam in
1918)-to motivate Muslims to pursue modern education and to bring them to the forefront of
thenationalist movement.
•In order to empower the people of Travancore, Vakkom Moulavifounded Swadeshabhimani
as a weekly in 1905. e Swadeshabhimani was the first newspaper in Kerala tosubscribe to the
Reuters news agency.
•One of the goals of Swadeshabhimani was to not "conceal any publicgrievances out of fear
of harm that may come to us." The first editor of Swadeshabhimani, was CP Govinda Pillai.
•He was looking for a young journalist whowould adhere to his ideas without wavering, and
he found that inRamakrishna Pillai. Ramakrishna Pillai shared the same luck inmatching up
, with the ideal colleague. Ramakrishna Pillai's integrity, patriotism, and political principles
aligned with those of Maulavi Abdul Khadir, who had implicit faith in them.
•Later Swadeshabhimani, confiscated the press, and sent the editor into exile.
•He was not only a kindnewspaper owner; he was also a fearless journalist, well- read,with
felicity of language, moral honesty, and an intent to spend even his last penny for its cause.
He was in debt when he passedaway at the comparatively early age of 58.
•The essay concluded by describing what the authorsaw in Thiruvananthapuram that July
afternoon when it was pouring hard. Near the monument of K. Ramakrishna Pillai, agranite
plaque recognizing Swadeshabhimani had fallen from the wall.
Kuttippuram Bridge Poem Summary
"The Kuttippuram Bridge" is a poem written by Edasseri Govindan Nair,
a prominent Malayalam poet, and dramatist, and translated into English
by A J Thomas. He was known as Edasseri and cared deeply about the
agricultural crisis and the issues that the average person faced.
The Kuttippuram Bridge" ("Kuttippuram Paalam"), one of his poems that
have been featured in most anthologies, was first published in the
Mathrubhumi weekly in 1954 before being added to his collection of
poetry Karutha Chettichikal (1955).
The poem, which was composed in response to the building of a bridge
across the Nila River, expresses the poet's unease and skepticism towards
the modernization process that is gradually encroaching on the rural area
in which he lives. Here, the bridge represents modernism. The writer
contrasts the river with the recently built bridge by expressing pride in
being on it and joy at the pinnacle of modernization's real advancement.
Standing on the bridge, the poet feels elation or bliss at being so high.
The narrator claims that it cost 23 lakh rupees to construct the
Kuttippuram Bridge. The bridge is large and robust, towering above the
Perar River. No boat would dare cross the river during the flood season,
and no kite could soar over the river. Thoughts of the bridge defying the
rivers might make the narrator chuckle with pride as the bridge stands
tall.
The poet remembers the time of pre-industrial agriculture and rural life
when people lived close to nature along the banks of the Nila/Perar. But
urbanization has encroached on the towns and villages, so people are cut
off from the natural world. The idea of trees, flowers, and traditional
"kavus" being extinct saddens the narrator. He worries if the river will
one day degrade into a stinking sewer. His village used to be a serene,
lovely spot.Due to the increased traffic and disappearance of the paddy
fields and meadows, it is now louder and less appealing. Walls are being
built everywhere, which causes a space problem. There is a lot of traffic
