K. Koshy | |
|---|---|
| Archdeacon of Mavelikkara | |
 | |
| Diocese | Anglican diocese of Travancore & Cochin |
| In office | 1885–1899 |
| Successor | Oommen Mammen |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1856 (deacon) 1859 (priest) |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Koshy Koshy |
| Born | 1825 |
| Died | 1899 |
| Nationality | Travancorean |
| Denomination | Malankara Church (1825–1836) Anglican Church (1836–1899) |
| Alma mater | Pazhaya Seminary, Kottayam |
Koshy Koshy also spelled as Koshi Koshi (1825–1899) was an Indian Anglican priest and Malayalam novelist.
Early life[edit | edit source]
K. Koshy was born in the Kingdom of Travancore, to a Nazrani family, part of the Malankara Syrian Church. His parents were Koshy Mullamangalam and Annamma.[1] When he was 11 years old (1836), his family converted to Anglicanism, under the influence of the Church Mission Society.[1][2]
Priesthood[edit | edit source]
Koshy desired to enter his Church's ministry and studied at the Pazhaya Seminary, Kottayam.[3] By 1844, he was a scholar in Sanskrit, Latin and English languages.[3] In 1856, he was received into the diaconate. In 1859, he was ordained as a priest in the Anglican Church.[4] In the nineteenth century, the highest office attained by Indians within the Anglican Church was that of an archdeacon.[5] In 1885, Rev. K. Koshy became the first Indian to be raised to the rank of an archdeacon.[4]
Literary pursuits[edit | edit source]
Adn. K. Koshy was one of the original Malayalam litterateurs. He wrote over 10 books, including Pulleli Kunju, Bhasmakuri and Thiruvavatharamahatmyam.[3][6] Pulleli Kunju (1882) is regarded as the first novellike original work on a local theme, in Malayalam.[7] He also translated John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress (Paradesi Mokshayathra, 1845) and The Holy War (Thirupporattam), to Malayalam.[6][7]
Adn. Koshy was the editor of Njananikshepam (published since 1840), the first Malayalam periodical.[8][6] His most important religious contribution was with respect to the revision of the Malayalam Bible (1872–1898). The Archbishop of Canterbury Edward White Benson conferred on Koshy, a Lambeth Doctorate, for his pre-eminent role in that.[9][3]
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Idiculla 2012, p. 65.
- ↑ Jeffrey 1976, pp. 17–18,338.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 George 1972, p. 69.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Jeffrey 1976, p. 338.
- ↑ Mooken 1983, p. 102.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Devi 1978, p. 13.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 George 1972, pp. 69–70.
- ↑ Chaitanya 1971, p. 174.
- ↑ Stock 1899, pp. 460,465.
Bibliography[edit | edit source]
- Jeffrey, Robin (1976). The Decline of Nayar Dominance: Society and Politics in Travancore, 1847-1908. Vikas Publishing House. ISBN 978-0-7069-0486-4.
- Mooken, Mar Aprem (1983). Indian Christian who is who. Bombay Parish Church of the East.
- Idiculla, Dr. Shajan A. (2012). Douthyathinte Edukal (History of CSI Central Kerala Diocese) (in മലയാളം). Kottayam: CMS Press. pp. 65–66.
- Rev. C. Y. Thomas. "History of the CSI Central Kerala Diocese, Chapters 1, 2 & 3". www.csimichigan.org.
- Stock, Eugene (1899). The History of the Church Missionary Society: Its Environment, Its Men and Its Work. Vol. 4. Church Missionary Society.
- Devi, R. Leela (1978). Influence of English on Malayalam Novels. College Book House.
- George, K. M. (1972). Western Influence on Malayalam Language and Literature. Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 978-81-260-0413-3.
- Chaitanya, Krishna (1971). A History of Malayalam Literature. Orient Longman. ISBN 978-0-8046-8805-5.
