Malayalam Literature
The earliest Malayalam literature consists of native ballads and folk songs.
However, two external influences played a major role in shaping its later development: Sanskrit, the language of scholarly pursuits, and Tamil, which served as the administrative language for an extended period.
A key example of Tamil influence is Ramacharitam, a poem based on the Yuddhakanda of the Ramayana.
Linguistically, it blends elements of both Tamil and Malayalam in its grammar and vocabulary.
In contrast, the works of a poet family from Niranam in central Travancore, who lived during the late 14th and 15th centuries, show less reliance on Tamil.
Notable contributions from this family include Rama Panikkar’s translation of the Ramayana and Madhava Panikkar’s translation of the Bhagavad Gita.
Sanskrit’s impact on Malayalam extends beyond literature, deeply influencing the language itself.
A unique literary dialect emerged, heavily infused with Sanskrit, and came to be known as Manipravalam—a term that likens it to a string of pearls and coral.
This blend is thoroughly discussed in the Līlātilakam, a 14th-century Sanskrit treatise on Malayalam grammar and poetics.
