Mary John Thottam - Revision history

Sahadathossain: expanded section additionally and improved wording per standard format

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expanded section additionally and improved wording per standard format

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	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
	[[File:Sister mary benigna poems.jpg\|thumb\|235px\|A poem of Sister Mary Benigna]]		[[File:Sister mary benigna poems.jpg\|thumb\|235px\|A poem of Sister Mary Benigna]]
	Sister Mary Benigna, née Mary John Thottam, was born on 24 June 1901 at [[Elanji]], a small village near [[Koothattukulam]], in [[Ernakulam district]] in the south Indian state of [[Kerala]] to John Thottam and Pattasseril Mariam.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal">{{Cite web \|url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/SisterMaryBeninja/Html/Beneenjagraphy.htm \|title=Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal \|date=2019-04-23 \|website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal \|access-date=2019-04-23}}</ref> Her early education was in the traditional way with a local teacher and later she did her formal education at Mutholi Convent School from where she passed the vernacular school leaving certificate (7th standard) to start her career as a teacher at St. Thomas Primary School, [[North Paravur]].<ref name="Women Writers of Kerala">{{Cite web \|url=http://womenwritersofkerala.com/author.php?author_id=340 \|title=Women Writers of Kerala \|date=2019-04-24 \|website=womenwritersofkerala.com \|access-date=2019-04-24}}</ref> She took a break from service after 2 years pursue higher studies in Malayalam and after passing Malayalam higher examination, she returned to Paravur to teach at the English Middle School there. She moved to the Convent Middle School in [[Kuravilangad]] in 1922 as a teacher where she became the headmistress the next year.<ref name="Author Details">{{Cite web \|url=http://www.puzha.com/malayalam/bookstore/cgi-bin/author-detail.cgi?code=1841 \|title=Author Details \|date=2019-04-24 \|website=www.puzha.com \|access-date=2019-04-24}}</ref>		Sister Mary Benigna, née Mary John Thottam, was born on 24 June 1901 at [[Elanji]], a small village near [[Koothattukulam]], in [[Ernakulam district]] in the south Indian state of [[Kerala]] to John Thottam and Pattasseril Mariam.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal">{{Cite web \|url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/SisterMaryBeninja/Html/Beneenjagraphy.htm \|title=Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal \|date=2019-04-23 \|website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal \|access-date=2019-04-23}}</ref> Her early education was in the traditional way with a local teacher and later she did her formal education at Mutholi Convent School from where she passed the vernacular school leaving certificate (7th standard) to start her career as a teacher at St. Thomas Primary School, [[North Paravur]].<ref name="Women Writers of Kerala">{{Cite web \|url=http://womenwritersofkerala.com/author.php?author_id=340 \|title=Women Writers of Kerala \|date=2019-04-24 \|website=womenwritersofkerala.com \|access-date=2019-04-24}}</ref> She took a break from service after 2 years pursue higher studies in Malayalam and after passing Malayalam higher examination, she returned to Paravur to teach at the English Middle School there. She moved to the Convent Middle School in [[Kuravilangad]] in 1922 as a teacher where she became the headmistress the next year.<ref name="Author Details">{{Cite web \|url=http://www.puzha.com/malayalam/bookstore/cgi-bin/author-detail.cgi?code=1841 \|title=Author Details \|date=2019-04-24 \|website=www.puzha.com \|access-date=2019-04-24 \|archive-date=9 March 2008 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309113320/http://www.puzha.com/malayalam/bookstore/cgi-bin/author-detail.cgi?code=1841 \|url-status=dead }}</ref>

	Thottam's first work, a poetry anthology titled ''Geethavali'', was released in 1927 which had the foreword written by [[Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer]], the noted poet.<ref name="Women Writers of Kerala" /> This was followed by several works which include two epics viz. ''Marthoma Vijayam'' and ''Gandhi Jayanthi'', 10 ~~[[Khanta Kavyam\|khandakavyams]]~~ and over 350 poems compiled in ~~a number of~~ anthologies.<ref name="Mystic Poet Sister Benigna">{{Cite web \|url=http://varghesepaul.org/mystic-poet-sister-benigna/ \|title=Mystic Poet Sister Benigna \|last=Paul \|first=Fr Varghese \|last2=S.J \|date=2019-04-25 \|language=en-US \|access-date=2019-04-25}}</ref> Besides, she also published four books of prose and a translation.<ref name="List of works">{{Cite web \|url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/Sahityapanchananan/Html/SahityapanchanananBooks.htm \|title=List of works \|date=2019-04-23 \|website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi \|access-date=2019-04-23}}</ref> She was one of the pioneers of women writers in Malayalam language<ref name="NatarajanNelson1996-1">{{cite book\|author1=Nalini Natarajan\|author2=Emmanuel Sampath Nelson\|title=Handbook of Twentieth-century Literatures of India\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lTnv6o-d_oC&pg=PA196\|year=1996\|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group\|isbn=978-0-313-28778-7\|page=196}}</ref> and her book, ''Kavitharamam'' (A Garden of Poems), published in 1929 sold over 100,000 copies, making it a best seller of the times.<ref name="NatarajanNelson1996-2">{{cite book\|author1=Nalini Natarajan\|author2=Emmanuel Sampath Nelson\|title=Handbook of Twentieth-century Literatures of India\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lTnv6o-d_oC&pg=PA197\|year=1996\|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group\|isbn=978-0-313-28778-7\|pages=197–}}</ref> ''Lokame Yatra'' (Farewell to the World), one of the poems in the anthology, was an autobiographical poem related to her becoming a nun.<ref name="TharuLalita1991">{{cite book\|author1=Susie J. Tharu\|author2=Ke Lalita\|title=Women Writing in India: The twentieth century\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OjZYf9Xf9bcC&pg=PA635\|year=1991\|publisher=Feminist Press at CUNY\|isbn=978-1-55861-029-3\|pages=635–}}</ref> [[Pope Paul VI]] honoured her with the [[Benemerenti medal]] in 1971 and she was also honoured by the Catholic Laity Association in 1981.<ref name="Author Details" />		Thottam's first work, a poetry anthology titled ''Geethavali'', was released in 1927 which had the foreword written by [[Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer]], the noted poet.<ref name="Women Writers of Kerala" /> This was followed by several works which include two epics viz. ''Marthoma Vijayam'' and ''Gandhi Jayanthi'', 10 ''Khantakavyams'' and over 350 poems compiled in several anthologies.<ref name="Mystic Poet Sister Benigna">{{Cite web \|url=http://varghesepaul.org/mystic-poet-sister-benigna/ \|title=Mystic Poet Sister Benigna \|last=Paul \|first=Fr Varghese \|last2=S.J \|date=2019-04-25 \|language=en-US \|access-date=2019-04-25}}</ref> Besides, she also published four books of prose and a translation.<ref name="List of works">{{Cite web \|url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/Sahityapanchananan/Html/SahityapanchanananBooks.htm \|title=List of works \|date=2019-04-23 \|website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi \|access-date=2019-04-23}}</ref> She was one of the pioneers of women writers in Malayalam language<ref name="NatarajanNelson1996-1">{{cite book\|author1=Nalini Natarajan\|author2=Emmanuel Sampath Nelson\|title=Handbook of Twentieth-century Literatures of India\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lTnv6o-d_oC&pg=PA196\|year=1996\|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group\|isbn=978-0-313-28778-7\|page=196}}</ref> and her book, ''Kavitharamam'' (A Garden of Poems), published in 1929 sold over 100,000 copies, making it a best seller of the times.<ref name="NatarajanNelson1996-2">{{cite book\|author1=Nalini Natarajan\|author2=Emmanuel Sampath Nelson\|title=Handbook of Twentieth-century Literatures of India\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lTnv6o-d_oC&pg=PA197\|year=1996\|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group\|isbn=978-0-313-28778-7\|pages=197–}}</ref> ''Lokame Yatra'' (Farewell to the World), one of the poems in the anthology, was an autobiographical poem related to her becoming a nun.<ref name="TharuLalita1991">{{cite book\|author1=Susie J. Tharu\|author2=Ke Lalita\|title=Women Writing in India: The twentieth century\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OjZYf9Xf9bcC&pg=PA635\|year=1991\|publisher=Feminist Press at CUNY\|isbn=978-1-55861-029-3\|pages=635–}}</ref> [[Pope Paul VI]] honoured her with the [[Benemerenti medal]] in 1971 and she was also honoured by the Catholic Laity Association in 1981.<ref name="Author Details" />

	Thottam entered the [[Catholic religious order]] of the [[Carmelites]] under the name of Mary Benigna on 16 July 1928<ref name="Author Details" /> and superannuated from official service in 1961.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal" /> She died on 20 May 1985, at the age of 83.<ref name="Mary John Thottam - Kerala Literature">{{Cite web \|url=http://keralaliterature.com/old/author.php?authid=805 \|title=Mary John Thottam - Kerala Literature \|date=2019-04-25 \|website=keralaliterature.com \|access-date=2019-04-25}}</ref> [[Dravidian University]] has established a study centre in honour of Mary John Thottam.<ref name="Mystic Poet Sister Benigna" /><ref name="Appalling silence by parties as Church moves to expel nun who joined protest for bishop’s arrest">{{Cite web \|url=https://www.pennews.net/kerala/2019/01/09/appalling-silence-by-parties-as-church-moves-to-expel-nun-who-joined-protest-for-bishops-arrest \|title=Appalling silence by parties as Church moves to expel nun who joined protest for bishop's arrest \|date=2019-04-24 \|website=pennews \|access-date=2019-04-24}}</ref> Her autobiography, ''Vanambadi'' (Nightingale) was published in 1986, a year after her death, along with an anthology of selected poems, under the title, ''Lokame Yatra''.<ref name="Women Writers of Kerala" />		Thottam entered the [[Catholic religious order]] of the [[Carmelites]] under the name of Mary Benigna on 16 July 1928<ref name="Author Details" /> and superannuated from official service in 1961.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal" /> She died on 20 May 1985, at the age of 83.<ref name="Mary John Thottam - Kerala Literature">{{Cite web \|url=http://keralaliterature.com/old/author.php?authid=805 \|title=Mary John Thottam - Kerala Literature \|date=2019-04-25 \|website=keralaliterature.com \|access-date=2019-04-25 \|archive-date=25 April 2019 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425075755/http://keralaliterature.com/old/author.php?authid=805 \|url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Dravidian University]] has established a study centre in honour of Mary John Thottam.<ref name="Mystic Poet Sister Benigna" /><ref name="Appalling silence by parties as Church moves to expel nun who joined protest for bishop’s arrest">{{Cite web \|url=https://www.pennews.net/kerala/2019/01/09/appalling-silence-by-parties-as-church-moves-to-expel-nun-who-joined-protest-for-bishops-arrest \|title=Appalling silence by parties as Church moves to expel nun who joined protest for bishop's arrest \|date=2019-04-24 \|website=pennews \|access-date=2019-04-24 \|archive-date=24 April 2019 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424175402/https://www.pennews.net/kerala/2019/01/09/appalling-silence-by-parties-as-church-moves-to-expel-nun-who-joined-protest-for-bishops-arrest \|url-status=dead }}</ref> Her autobiography, ''Vanambadi'' (Nightingale) was published in 1986, a year after her death, along with an anthology of selected poems, under the title, ''Lokame Yatra''.<ref name="Women Writers of Kerala" />

	== Selected bibliography ==		== Selected bibliography ==
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	* {{Cite book \|title=Elanjippoo \|last=Thottam \|first=Mary John \|date=1971 \|language=ml \|oclc=978057087}}		* {{Cite book \|title=Elanjippoo \|last=Thottam \|first=Mary John \|date=1971 \|language=ml \|oclc=978057087}}
	* {{Cite book \|url=http://103.251.43.202:8080/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=41130 \|title=Karayunna Kavithakal \|last=Thottam \|first=Mary John \|publisher=National Book Stall \|year=1971 \|language=ml}}		* {{Cite book \|url=http://103.251.43.202:8080/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=41130 \|title=Karayunna Kavithakal \|last=Thottam \|first=Mary John \|publisher=National Book Stall \|year=1971 \|language=ml}}
	* {{Cite book \|url=http://111.93.136.232:8084/vufind/Record/16304 \|title=Karunya Kavithakal \|last=Thottam \|first=Mary John \|publisher=Kerala Penguin Books \|year=1971}}		* {{Cite book \|url=http://111.93.136.232:8084/vufind/Record/16304 \|title=Karunya Kavithakal \|last=Thottam \|first=Mary John \|publisher=Kerala Penguin Books \|year=1971 \|archive-date=24 April 2019 \|access-date=25 April 2019 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424184656/http://111.93.136.232:8084/vufind/Record/16304 \|url-status=dead }}
	* {{Cite book \|url=https://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/221493 \|title=Thottam Kavithakal \|last=Thottam \|first=Mary John \|date=1973 \|publisher=National Book Stall, Kottayam \|language=ml}}		* {{Cite book \|url=https://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/221493 \|title=Thottam Kavithakal \|last=Thottam \|first=Mary John \|date=1973 \|publisher=National Book Stall, Kottayam \|language=ml}}
	* {{Cite book \|url=http://keralaliterature.com/old/book.php?bukid=541 \|title=Kattuparanjakadha \|last=Thottam \|first=Mary John}}		* {{Cite book \|url=http://keralaliterature.com/old/book.php?bukid=541 \|title=Kattuparanjakadha \|last=Thottam \|first=Mary John \|archive-date=25 April 2019 \|access-date=25 April 2019 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425075753/http://keralaliterature.com/old/book.php%3Fbukid%3D541 \|url-status=dead }}
	{{div col end}}		{{div col end}}

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	== Further reading ==		== Further reading ==
	* {{Cite web \|url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in:8080/jspui/handle/10603/138506 \|title=A study on the poetic works of Mary John Thottam \|last=Panengadan \|first=Antony \|date=2000 \|website=University \|access-date=2019-04-24}}		* {{Cite web \|url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in:8080/jspui/handle/10603/138506 \|title=A study on the poetic works of Mary John Thottam \|last=Panengadan \|first=Antony \|date=2000 \|website=University \|access-date=2019-04-24}}
	* {{Cite web \|url=http://www.indulekha.com/mahilakal-malayala-sathithyathil-malayalam-lifesketches-ramankari-radhakrishnan \|title=Mahilakal Malayala Sathithyathil \|last=Ramankari Radhakrishnan \|website=www.indulekha.com \|publisher=National Book Stall \|access-date=2019-04-24}}		* {{Cite web \|url=http://www.indulekha.com/mahilakal-malayala-sathithyathil-malayalam-lifesketches-ramankari-radhakrishnan \|title=Mahilakal Malayala Sathithyathil \|last=Ramankari Radhakrishnan \|website=www.indulekha.com \|publisher=National Book Stall \|access-date=2019-04-24 \|archive-date=24 April 2019 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424181940/http://www.indulekha.com/mahilakal-malayala-sathithyathil-malayalam-lifesketches-ramankari-radhakrishnan \|url-status=dead }}
	* {{Cite book \|url=http://mgucat.mgu.ac.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=73683 \|title=Women and spirituality in Benignan poetic skills \|last=Biji MP \|date=2011 \|publisher=Mahatma Gandhi University Library}}		* {{Cite book \|url=http://mgucat.mgu.ac.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=73683 \|title=Women and spirituality in Benignan poetic skills \|last=Biji MP \|date=2011 \|publisher=Mahatma Gandhi University Library}}

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			{{Portalbar\|India\|Literature}}
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	~~{{Portalbar\|India\|Literature}}~~
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← Older revision		Revision as of 02:16, 18 June 2022
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	\| birth_name =		\| birth_name =
	\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|df=yes\|1901\|6\|24}}		\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|df=yes\|1901\|6\|24}}
	\| birth_place = [[Elanji]], [[~~Kottayam district\|Kottayam~~]], [[Kerala]], India		\| birth_place = [[Elanji]], [[Ernakulam]], [[Kerala]], India
	\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|df=yes\|1985\|5\|20\|1901\|6\|24}}		\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|df=yes\|1985\|5\|20\|1901\|6\|24}}
	\| death_place = Kerala		\| death_place = Kerala
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	\| alma mater =		\| alma mater =
	\| spouse =		\| spouse =
	\| ~~domesticpartner~~ =		\| partner =
	\| children =		\| children =
	\| parents = {{ublist\|John Thottam\|Mariam}}		\| parents = {{ublist\|John Thottam\|Mariam}}
	~~\| influences =~~
	~~\| influenced =~~
	\| notable_works = {{ubl\|''Lokame Yathra''\|''Marthoma Vijayam''\|''Kavanamela''\|''Gandhi Jayanthi''}}		\| notable_works = {{ubl\|''Lokame Yathra''\|''Marthoma Vijayam''\|''Kavanamela''\|''Gandhi Jayanthi''}}
	\| website =		\| website =
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	* [[List of Benemerenti medal recipients]]		* [[List of Benemerenti medal recipients]]
	{{div col end}}		{{div col end}}
	~~{{Portal\|India\|Literature}}~~

	== References ==		== References ==
	{{reflist\|2}}		{{reflist}}

	== Further reading ==		== Further reading ==
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	[[Category:Recipients of the Benemerenti medal]]		[[Category:Recipients of the Benemerenti medal]]
	[[Category:People from Ernakulam district]]		[[Category:People from Ernakulam district]]
	[[Category:Indian nuns]]		[[Category:20th-century Indian Roman Catholic nuns]]

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{short description|Indian Catholic nun}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Mary John Thottam
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1901|6|24}}
| birth_place = [[Elanji]], [[Kottayam district|Kottayam]], [[Kerala]], India
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1985|5|20|1901|6|24}}
| death_place = Kerala
| restingplace =
| restingplacecoordinates =
| othername = Mary Benigna
| occupation = Poet, Catholic nun
| alma mater =
| spouse =
| domesticpartner =
| children =
| parents = {{ublist|John Thottam|Mariam}}
| influences =
| influenced =
| notable_works = {{ubl|''Lokame Yathra''|''Marthoma Vijayam''|''Kavanamela''|''Gandhi Jayanthi''}}
| website =
| awards = [[Benemerenti medal]]
}}
'''Mary John Thottam''' (24 June 1901 – 20 May 1985), also identified as '''Sister Mary Benigna''', was an Indian [[Catholic nun]] and a poet who wrote in [[Malayalam]]. She authored two [[mahakavyas]], ''Marthoma Vijayam'' and ''Gandhi Jayanthi'', a poetry anthology, ''Lokame Yathra'', and other works. [[Pope Paul VI]] honoured her with the [[Benemerenti medal]] in 1971.

== Biography ==
[[File:Sister mary benigna poems.jpg|thumb|235px|A poem of Sister Mary Benigna]]
Sister Mary Benigna, née Mary John Thottam, was born on 24 June 1901 at [[Elanji]], a small village near [[Koothattukulam]], in [[Ernakulam district]] in the south Indian state of [[Kerala]] to John Thottam and Pattasseril Mariam.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/SisterMaryBeninja/Html/Beneenjagraphy.htm |title=Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |date=2019-04-23 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal |access-date=2019-04-23}}</ref> Her early education was in the traditional way with a local teacher and later she did her formal education at Mutholi Convent School from where she passed the vernacular school leaving certificate (7th standard) to start her career as a teacher at St. Thomas Primary School, [[North Paravur]].<ref name="Women Writers of Kerala">{{Cite web |url=http://womenwritersofkerala.com/author.php?author_id=340 |title=Women Writers of Kerala |date=2019-04-24 |website=womenwritersofkerala.com |access-date=2019-04-24}}</ref> She took a break from service after 2 years pursue higher studies in Malayalam and after passing Malayalam higher examination, she returned to Paravur to teach at the English Middle School there. She moved to the Convent Middle School in [[Kuravilangad]] in 1922 as a teacher where she became the headmistress the next year.<ref name="Author Details">{{Cite web |url=http://www.puzha.com/malayalam/bookstore/cgi-bin/author-detail.cgi?code=1841 |title=Author Details |date=2019-04-24 |website=www.puzha.com |access-date=2019-04-24}}</ref>

Thottam's first work, a poetry anthology titled ''Geethavali'', was released in 1927 which had the foreword written by [[Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer]], the noted poet.<ref name="Women Writers of Kerala" /> This was followed by several works which include two epics viz. ''Marthoma Vijayam'' and ''Gandhi Jayanthi'', 10 [[Khanta Kavyam|khandakavyams]] and over 350 poems compiled in a number of anthologies.<ref name="Mystic Poet Sister Benigna">{{Cite web |url=http://varghesepaul.org/mystic-poet-sister-benigna/ |title=Mystic Poet Sister Benigna |last=Paul |first=Fr Varghese |last2=S.J |date=2019-04-25 |language=en-US |access-date=2019-04-25}}</ref> Besides, she also published four books of prose and a translation.<ref name="List of works">{{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/Sahityapanchananan/Html/SahityapanchanananBooks.htm |title=List of works |date=2019-04-23 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-04-23}}</ref> She was one of the pioneers of women writers in Malayalam language<ref name="NatarajanNelson1996-1">{{cite book|author1=Nalini Natarajan|author2=Emmanuel Sampath Nelson|title=Handbook of Twentieth-century Literatures of India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lTnv6o-d_oC&pg=PA196|year=1996|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-28778-7|page=196}}</ref> and her book, ''Kavitharamam'' (A Garden of Poems), published in 1929 sold over 100,000 copies, making it a best seller of the times.<ref name="NatarajanNelson1996-2">{{cite book|author1=Nalini Natarajan|author2=Emmanuel Sampath Nelson|title=Handbook of Twentieth-century Literatures of India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lTnv6o-d_oC&pg=PA197|year=1996|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-28778-7|pages=197–}}</ref> ''Lokame Yatra'' (Farewell to the World), one of the poems in the anthology, was an autobiographical poem related to her becoming a nun.<ref name="TharuLalita1991">{{cite book|author1=Susie J. Tharu|author2=Ke Lalita|title=Women Writing in India: The twentieth century|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OjZYf9Xf9bcC&pg=PA635|year=1991|publisher=Feminist Press at CUNY|isbn=978-1-55861-029-3|pages=635–}}</ref> [[Pope Paul VI]] honoured her with the [[Benemerenti medal]] in 1971 and she was also honoured by the Catholic Laity Association in 1981.<ref name="Author Details" />

Thottam entered the [[Catholic religious order]] of the [[Carmelites]] under the name of Mary Benigna on 16 July 1928<ref name="Author Details" /> and superannuated from official service in 1961.<ref name="Biography on Kerala Sahitya Akademi portal" /> She died on 20 May 1985, at the age of 83.<ref name="Mary John Thottam - Kerala Literature">{{Cite web |url=http://keralaliterature.com/old/author.php?authid=805 |title=Mary John Thottam - Kerala Literature |date=2019-04-25 |website=keralaliterature.com |access-date=2019-04-25}}</ref> [[Dravidian University]] has established a study centre in honour of Mary John Thottam.<ref name="Mystic Poet Sister Benigna" /><ref name="Appalling silence by parties as Church moves to expel nun who joined protest for bishop’s arrest">{{Cite web |url=https://www.pennews.net/kerala/2019/01/09/appalling-silence-by-parties-as-church-moves-to-expel-nun-who-joined-protest-for-bishops-arrest |title=Appalling silence by parties as Church moves to expel nun who joined protest for bishop's arrest |date=2019-04-24 |website=pennews |access-date=2019-04-24}}</ref> Her autobiography, ''Vanambadi'' (Nightingale) was published in 1986, a year after her death, along with an anthology of selected poems, under the title, ''Lokame Yatra''.<ref name="Women Writers of Kerala" />

== Selected bibliography ==
{{Div col|colwidth=40em}}
* {{Cite book |url=https://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/70645 |title=Geethavali |last=Thottam |first=Mary John |date=1927 |publisher=National Book Stall, Kottayam |language=ml}}
* {{Cite book |title=Lokame Yatra |last=Thottam |first=Mary John |date=1928 |publisher=Jīvan Buks |location=Bharananganam, Kōṭṭayaṃ |language=ml |oclc=19624885}}
* {{Cite book |title=Kavitharamam |last=Thottam |first=Mary John |date=1929 |publisher=Sāhityapr̲avarttaka Sahakaraṇasaṅghaṃ |location=Kōṭṭayaṃ |language=ml |oclc=20953037}}
* {{Cite book |url=https://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/210126 |title=Easa prasadam |last=Thottam |first=Mary John |language=ml|date=1934}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://103.251.43.202:8080/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=64092 |title=Cherupushpathinte Balyakala Smaranakal |last=Thottam |first=Mary John |publisher=John Peter Thottam |year=1936 |location=Thiruvananthapuram |language=ml}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://103.251.43.202:8080/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=64185 |title=Vidivaibhavam |last=Thottam |first=Mary John |year=1936 |language=ml}}
* {{Cite book |url=https://openlibrary.org/works/OL320227W/Bha%CC%84rata_mal_a%CC%81laksmi |title=Bharatha Mahalakshmi |last=Thottam |first=Mary John |publisher=St. Thomas Press |year=1962 |location=Pala}}
* {{cite book|last=Thottam |first=Mary John |title=Kavanamēḷa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PZgRAQAAIAAJ|year=1965|publisher=National Book Stall, Kōṭṭayaṃ}}
* {{Cite book |title=Marthomavijayam |last=Thottam |first=Mary John |date=1970 |oclc=39769279}}
* {{Cite book |title=Elanjippoo |last=Thottam |first=Mary John |date=1971 |language=ml |oclc=978057087}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://103.251.43.202:8080/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=41130 |title=Karayunna Kavithakal |last=Thottam |first=Mary John |publisher=National Book Stall |year=1971 |language=ml}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://111.93.136.232:8084/vufind/Record/16304 |title=Karunya Kavithakal |last=Thottam |first=Mary John |publisher=Kerala Penguin Books |year=1971}}
* {{Cite book |url=https://find.uoc.ac.in/Record/221493 |title=Thottam Kavithakal |last=Thottam |first=Mary John |date=1973 |publisher=National Book Stall, Kottayam |language=ml}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://keralaliterature.com/old/book.php?bukid=541 |title=Kattuparanjakadha |last=Thottam |first=Mary John}}
{{div col end}}

== See also ==
{{Div col|colwidth=40em}}
* [[List of Malayalam-language authors by category]]
* [[List of Malayalam-language authors]]
* [[List of Benemerenti medal recipients]]
{{div col end}}
{{Portal|India|Literature}}

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite web |url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in:8080/jspui/handle/10603/138506 |title=A study on the poetic works of Mary John Thottam |last=Panengadan |first=Antony |date=2000 |website=University |access-date=2019-04-24}}
* {{Cite web |url=http://www.indulekha.com/mahilakal-malayala-sathithyathil-malayalam-lifesketches-ramankari-radhakrishnan |title=Mahilakal Malayala Sathithyathil |last=Ramankari Radhakrishnan |website=www.indulekha.com |publisher=National Book Stall |access-date=2019-04-24}}
* {{Cite book |url=http://mgucat.mgu.ac.in/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=73683 |title=Women and spirituality in Benignan poetic skills |last=Biji MP |date=2011 |publisher=Mahatma Gandhi University Library}}

== External links ==
* {{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/SisterMaryBeninja/Html/SisterMaryBeninja.htm |title=Portrait commissioned by Kerala Sahitya Akademi |date=2019-04-23 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-04-23}}
* {{Cite web |url=http://www.keralasahityaakademi.org/sp/Writers/PROFILES/SisterMaryBeninja/Html/Beneenjascript.htm |title=Handwriting |date=2019-04-23 |website=Kerala Sahitya Akademi |access-date=2019-04-23}}
* {{Cite web |url=https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL3067A/Mary_John_Thottam |title=Mary John Thottam |last=OpenLibrary.org |website=Open Library |language=en |access-date=2019-04-24}}
* {{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZnMRcHXQ20 |title=Lokame yathra(edited)- Sister Mary Banenja |last=Jyothibai Pariyadath |date=2013-11-06 |website=YouTube |access-date=2019-04-24}}
* {{cite book|author1=Susie J. Tharu|author2=Ke Lalita|title=Women Writing in India: 600 B.C. to the early twentieth century|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u297RJP9gvwC&pg=PA532|year=1991|publisher=Feminist Press at CUNY|isbn=978-1-55861-027-9|pages=532–}}

{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thottam, Mary John}}
[[Category:Writers from Kerala]]
[[Category:Malayalam-language writers]]
[[Category:1901 births]]
[[Category:1985 deaths]]
[[Category:Malayali people]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Benemerenti medal]]
[[Category:People from Ernakulam district]]
[[Category:Indian nuns]]