Joseph Raphael, better identified as Ponjikkara Rafi, was an Indian essayist, playwright, short story writer and a novelist of Malayalam literature.
15 Facts About Ponjikkara Rafi
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Ponjikkara Rafi's oeuvre consists of short story anthologies, novels, philosophical works and screenplays but he is best remembered for two novels, Daivadhoothan, regarded as the first Malayalam novel written in stream of consciousness narrative style, and Ora Pro Nobis, a historical novel based on the Dutch colonial rule.
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Ponjikkara Rafi was the author of Kaliyugam, a philosophical work jointly written with his wife, Sabeena Rafi, which fetched him the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Miscellaneous Works in 1972.
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Ponjikkara Rafi was born Joseph Raphael on 12 April 1924 in Naduvathezhathu family of Ponjikkara, an islet in Mulavukad panchayat, along the coast of present day Ernakulam district, in the south Indian state of Kerala, in a family of carpenters as the seventh among the nine children born to Shouryar Joseph and Anna.
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Ponjikkara Rafi's stay at the port was short as he was terminated from service in the wake of his participation in a workers' strike and his next job at the Indian Aluminium Company, Aluva, as a crane operator, ended the same way.
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Ponjikkara Rafi worked with Vaikom Muhammed Basheer as a partner, when the renowned author ran Circle Book Stall, a book shop in Ernakulam.
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Ponjikkara Rafi died on 6 September 1992, at the age of 68; his wife had predeceased him on 22 June 1990.
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Ponjikkara Rafi published eleven short story anthologies, eight novels, two plays and three essay compilations.
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In Swargadhoothan, Ponjikkara Rafi envisioned the islets around Kochi getting connected to the mainland in 1958 and it became a reality when Goshree bridges were opened in February 2004.
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Ponjikkara Rafi wrote a detective novel, Padakkuthira Missi and two plays, Mathai Master and Mezhukuthiri.
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Kaliyugam, a Sabeena Ponjikkara Rafi co-written work, is a study of human behaviour from early ages, with a philosophical perspective.
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Ponjikkara Rafi entered the film world by writing the screenplay and dialogues for Koodappirappu, a JD Thottan, released in 1956.
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One of his stories, Minnaminungu, was adapted into a film under the same name by Ramu Kariat in 1957 and Ponjikkara Rafi wrote the screenplay for the film.
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Ponjikkara Rafi was reported to have assisted Vayalar Rama Varma to gain entry into films.
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Ponjikkara Rafi held the position of the secretary of the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad from 1966 to 1974 and served as the vice president of the Parishad for a brief period.