Malayalam Literature Syllabus – Civil Services Mains Exam UPSC

(Answers must be written in Malayalam Section-A
Unit 1-Early phase of Malayalam Language:

1.1  Various theories: origin from proto Dravidian, Tamil, Sanskrit.

1.2  Relation between Tamil and Malayalam: Six nayas of A.R. Rajarajavarma.

1.3  Pattu school-definition, Ramacharitam, later pattu works-Niranam works and Krishnagatha.

Unit 2-Linguistic features of :

2.1   Manipravalam-definition. Language of early manipravala works-Champu, Sandesakavya, Chandrotsava, minor works. Later Manipravala works-medieval Champu and Attakkatha.

2.2  Folklore-Southern and Northern ballads, Mappila songs.

2.3      Early Malayalam prose-Bhashakautaliyam, Brahmandapuranam, Attaprakaram, Kramadipika and Nambiantamil.

Unit 3-Standardisation of Malayalam:

3.1  Peculairities of the language of Pana, Kilippattu and Tullal.

3.2  Contributions of indigenous and European missionaries to Malayalam.

3.3  Characteristics of contemporary Malayalam : Malayalam as administravie language. Language of scientific and technical literature-media language.

Section-B

Literary History

Unit-4 Ancient and Medieval Literature:

4.1  Pattu-Ramacharitam, Niranam works and Krishnagatha.

4.2  Manipravalam-early and medieval manipravala works including attakkatha and champu.

4.3  Folk literature.

4.4  Kilippattu, Tullal and Mahakavya.

Unit 5- Modern Literature-Poerty:

5.1  Venmani poets and contemporaries.

5.2  The advent of Romanticism-Poerty of Kavitraya i.e., Asan, Ulloor and Vallathol

5.3  Poetry after Kavitraya.

5.4  Modernism in Malayalam poetry.

Unit 6- Modern Literature-Prose:

6.1  Drama

6.2  Novel

6.3  Short story

6.4  Biography, travelogue, essay and criticism.

PAPER-II

(Answers must be written in Malayalam)

This paper will require first hand reading of the texts prescribed and is designed to test the candidate’s critical ability.

Section-A

Unit 1

1.1  Ramacharitam-Patalam 1.

1.2  Kannassaramayanam-Balakandam first 25 stanzas.

1.3  Unnunilisandesam-Purvabhagam 25 slokas including Prastavana

1.4  Mahabharatham Kilippattu-Bhishmaparvam.

Unit 2

2.1  Kumaran Asan-Chintavisthayaya Sita.

2.2  Vailoppilli-Kutiyozhikkal.

2.3  G. Sankara Kurup-Perunthachan.

2.4  N.V. Krishna Variar-Tivandiyile Pattu.

Unit 3

3.1  ONV -Bhumikkoru Charamagitam

3.2  Ayyappa Panicker-Kurukshetram.

3.3  Akkittam-Pandatha Messanthi

3.4  Attur Ravivarma-Megharupan.

Section-B

Unit 4

4.1  O. Chanthu Menon-Indulekha

4.2  Thakazhy-Chemmin.

4.3  O V Vijayan-Khasakkinte Ithihasam.

Unit 5

5.1  MT Vasudevan Nair-Vanaprastham (Collection).

5.2  N S Madhavan-Higvitta (Collection).

5.3  C J. Thomas-1128-il Crime 27.

Unit 6

6.1  Kuttikrishna Marar-Bharataparyatanam

6.2  M. K Sanu-Nakshatrangalute snehabhajanam

6.3  V.T. Bhattathirippad-Kannirum Kinavum.