Prominent Nairs

KUNCHAN NAMBIAR


Kunchan Nambiar was a great Malayalam poet-satirist in the court of Marthanda Varma.

Kunchan Nambiar is the founder of Ottan Thullal art form. He was born at Killikkurrisimangalam in Malabar. Later, he went to Ambalapuzha and became court poet of Ambalapuzha Raja. It is believed that Kunchan Nambiar wrote his first Thullal katha while he was here. The Thullal songs, written in simple Malayalam with full of humour and wit became very popular. When Marthanda Varma of Travancore conquored Ambalapuzha, Nambiar became the court poet of Travancore palace. Kunchan Nambiar who wrote Thullal poems and presented it in the stage. He wrote about 60 Thullal poems. All stories composed by Kunchan Nambiar are stuffed with humour, and social criticism. Thullal has three divisions Seethankan, Ottan and Parayan. It is a solo performance. His birthday (Fifth of May) is celebrated as “Kunchan dinam”