Vijayarajamallika
BornManu J Krishnan
(1985-03-01) 1 March 1985
Muthuvara, Thrissur, Kerala, India
OccupationWriter, activist, teacher
NationalityIndian
Alma mater
Notable works
  • Daivathinte Makal
  • Aan Nadhi
  • Mallikavasantham
  • Aanalla Pennalla
  • A Word to Mother
  • Pennayavalude Kavithakal
SpouseJashim

Vijayarajamallika, known as Daivathinte Makal, is a transgender poet in Malayalam literature,[1] She is a writer, teacher, social worker, inspirational speaker, and activist.

Early life, family and education

Vijayarajamallika was born in 1985 at Muthuvara, Thrissur district, Kerala, India, to Kaniyamkonatth Veettil Y. Krishnan, a retired superintendent of Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB); and Jaya Krishnan, a teacher.[2]

Her primary education was at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Puranattukara.[2] She completed a bachelor of arts degree in English Literature and History from St. Thomas College, Thrissur with the second rank from the University of Calicut in 2005.[2] In 2009 she completed Master of Social Work (MSW) from Rajagiri College of Social Sciences.[2][3]

Vijayarajamallika describes herself as being "a woman in my heart…even though I was in the male body".[2] Vijayarajamallika is an intersex person with Klinefelter syndrome or 47 XXY, which she discovered at the age of 32 after doing Karyotyping from Government Medical College, Kozhikode.[4] She says that "knowing that she is an intersex is the proudest moment in her life"[2][4]

She was married to Jashim, a software engineer. It was a controversial love marriage. The parents and relatives of Jashim were opposed to the marriage which was held in the office of Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad state committee at Thrissur.[5][6]

Career

Daivathinte Makal (Daughter of God), her first collection of poetry, has been included in the syllabus of a course at the Department of Malayalam at Madras University.[7][8] The poem, "Maranantharam" from Daivathinte Makal was included in the curriculum of Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala,[9] and another poem, "Neelambari" from Daivathinte Makal, was included in the curriculum of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit.[9] "Maranantharam" a notable poem from this book was translated into English by N. P. Ashley and was published in the book The World that Belongs to Us by Harper Collins.[10][11][12]

Vijayarajamallika is the founder of Sahaj International, India's first transgender alternative learning center[13][14][15][16] which worked in collaboration with the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) at Kochi. She winded up Sahaj International as Kerala Government incorporated transgender education through the Kerala State Literacy Mission.

Aan Nadhi (Male River), her second poetry collection, was published by Mythri Books Thiruvanathapuram. It describes the life and struggles of LGBTIAQ+ people with special reference to transgender and Intersex communities.[1] Aan Nadhi was significant in contributing ten new words to Malayalam Literature.

Vijayarajamallika's autobiography Mallikavasantham is the first transgender autobiography in Malayalam literature.[17][3] She won the Swami Vivekanadhan Yuva Prathibha Award for literature in 2019[18] instituted by the Kerala State Youth Welfare Board for this autobiography.[19] It also bagged the first ever Leela Menon literary award in the category of autobiography.[20][21]

"Aanalla Pennalla Kanmani nee"[22] is a lullaby penned by Vijayarajamallika[23] which is reported to be the first intersex lullaby[24][25] in the history of World Literature.

Daivathinte Makal won the Yuvakala Sahithi Vayalar Award in 2019.[26] The State of Kerala has honored her for her contributions and achievements[27] in the field of literature from the transgender community during the ‘Varnapakittu 2019[28]’, the first-ever transgender arts festival organized by the social justice department.

Ormayil Ragini[29] is an yearly event organized by Vijayarajamallika in memory of actress Ragini.[30]

Bibliography

  • Daivathinte Makal (collection of poems)[7]
  • Aan Nadi (collection of poems)
  • Mallikavasantham (autobiography)[31]
  • Aanalla Penalla Kanmani (Intersex Lullaby)[32]
  • A Word to Mother
  • Pennayavalude Kavithakal
  • Lilithinu Maranamilla (collection of poems) [33]
  • Mattorupennala Njan (collection of poems)

Awards

  • Arali Award (2016)[31][3]
  • Yuvakalasahithi Vayalar Kavitha Award (Daivatthinte Makal, 2019)[26]
  • Swami Vivekanadhan Yuva Prathibha Award for Literature (2019)[18]
  • First Leela Menon literary award in the category of autobiography (2021)[20]

References

  1. 1 2 "Kerala's first transwoman poet Vijayarajamallika to tie knot". Mathrubhumi.com. Archived from the original on 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2020-01-12.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "MALLIKAVASANTHAM". Readwhere. Retrieved 2020-02-22.
  3. 1 2 3 "വിജയരാജമല്ലിക അഭിമുഖം: ഞാൻ പ്രളയത്തിന്റെ പുത്രിയല്ല; എനിക്ക് ശേഷം പ്രളയമെന്ന് വിശ്വസിക്കുന്നില്ല" [Vijayarajamallika Interview: I am not the daughter of the flood; I don’t believe there will be a flood after that]. TheCue.in (in Malayalam). December 31, 2019.
  4. 1 2 "ഇന്റര്‍ സെക്‌സും ട്രാന്‍സ്ജെന്‍ന്ററും ഒന്നല്ല; രണ്ടാണ്" [Intersex and transgender are not one in the same; Two]. aksharamonline.com (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 2020-02-23. Retrieved 2020-02-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ↑ "Transgender poet Vijayarajamallika gets married". The Hindu. September 7, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  6. ↑ "മാറ്റത്തിന്റെ മണിമുഴക്കം ! മലയാളത്തിലെ ആദ്യ ട്രാൻസ്ജെൻഡർ കവി വിജയരാജമല്ലിക വിവാഹിതയായി; വരൻ സോഫ്റ്റ്വെയർ എഞ്ചിനീയർ" [The bell of change! Malayalam's first transgender poet Vijayarajamallika gets married; Groom Software Engineer]. Rashtradeepika.com (in Malayalam). 7 September 2019.
  7. 1 2 "മദ്രാസ് സർവ്വകലാശാല പാഠ്യപദ്ധതിയിൽ വിജയരാജമല്ലികയുടെ കവിതാസമാഹാരം" [A collection of poems by Vijayaraja Mallika in the Madras University syllabus]. Azhimukham.com (in Malayalam). 3 August 2019.
  8. ↑ "Transgender poet Vijayaraja Mallika's book included in Madras University syllabus". Mathrubhumi.com. Archived from the original on 2020-05-29. Retrieved 2020-02-21.
  9. 1 2 "Transgender's Poem finds its place in MG University syllabus". Retrieved 2020-02-21 – via YouTube.
  10. ↑ "Opening Up Identity: How A Diverse Anthology Of Queer Poetry Came To Be". HuffPost India. 2020-08-01. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
  11. ↑ Rangnekar, Sharif D. (2020-08-08). "'Desire crosses borders of different kinds': Akhil Katyal". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
  12. ↑ "How Being Queer Is A Very Personal Experience That Needs Less Of The Labelling". womensweb.in. 2020-09-29. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
  13. ↑ "India opens first transgender school". BBC News. 2016-12-30. Retrieved 2020-02-21.
  14. ↑ "Kerala Is Making History Once Again by Starting India's First Transgender School". The Better India. 2016-12-18. Retrieved 2020-02-21.
  15. ↑ "Kerala To Open First Transgender School In The Country". Retrieved 2020-02-21 – via YouTube.
  16. ↑ "Kerala launches India's first transgender school". asianetnews.com. Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd. Retrieved 2020-02-21.
  17. ↑ "Interview with Transgender poet Vijayaraja Mallika". Retrieved 2020-02-21 – via YouTube.
  18. 1 2 "സ്വാമി വിവേകാനന്ദൻ യുവപ്രതിഭാ പുരസ്കാര വിതരണം" [Swami Vivekananda Youth Talent Award Ceremony]. KSYWB.kerala.gov.in (in Malayalam). Retrieved 2020-10-02.
  19. ↑ "Malasian text" (PDF) (in Malayalam).
  20. 1 2 "ലീലാ മേനോൻ സാഹിത്യപുരസ്‌കാരങ്ങൾ പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചു". 27 January 2021.
  21. ↑ പുഴ (29 January 2021). "പ്രഥമ ലീലമേനോൻ സാഹിത്യ പുരസ്‌കാരങ്ങൾ പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചു | പുഴ.കോം - നവസംസ്കൃതിയുടെ ജലസമൃദ്ധി". Retrieved 2021-02-21.
  22. ↑ Muringatheri, Mini (2020-09-01). "Malayalam lullaby for intersex child takes social media by storm". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
  23. ↑ Mohandas, Vandana (September 6, 2020). "'A call for inclusion of intersex kids': Kerala's renowned transwoman poet on her lullaby". OnManorama.com. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
  24. ↑ Ramavarman, T. (August 24, 2020). "Neither boy nor girl, it's 'not a sin sweetheart'". Times of India. Retrieved 2020-10-02 – via indiatimes.com.
  25. ↑ Ramavarman, T. (September 7, 2020). "Ramanan's Radha returns to sing lullaby in Tamil for intersex baby". Times of India. Retrieved 2020-10-02 – via indiatimes.com.
  26. 1 2 "യുവകലാസാഹിതി വയലാർ കവിതാ പുരസ്ക്കാരം വിജയ രാജമല്ലികയ്ക്ക്" [Vijaya Rajamallika wins Vayalar Poetry Award]. aimnews.in (in Malayalam). Aim News. Archived from the original on 2020-01-12. Retrieved 2020-01-12.
  27. ↑ "TG KALOLSAVAM-VARNAPAKITTU 2019- SPECTRA-SPECIAL EDITION" (PDF). swd.kerala.gov.in. Social Justice Department, Government of Kerala.
  28. ↑ "Transgender arts festival from today". The Hindu. 2019-11-08. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2020-02-21.
  29. ↑ "Cancer awareness; remembering Travancore sisters". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
  30. ↑ cinematters (2015-12-08). "The 6th edition of "Ormayil Ragini" is on 26 December 2015". oldmalayalamcinema.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
  31. 1 2 "പുരുഷന്റെ വിയർപ്പിനും രക്തത്തിനും കൊതിച്ചു, ഉള്ളിൽ നഗ്നയായി അട്ടഹസിച്ചു; എന്റെ ലൈംഗിക കാമനകളെ എങ്ങനെ അടക്കും'?" [Lusting for the man's sweat and blood, laughing naked inside; How can I suppress my sexual urges'?]. Keralakaumudi.com (in Malayalam).
  32. ↑ "'ആണല്ല പെണ്ണല്ല', മിശ്രലിംഗരായ കുഞ്ഞുങ്ങള്‍ക്കൊരു താരാട്ട് പാട്ട്; മോഹിനിയാട്ടത്തിലൂടെ ദൃശ്യാവിഷ്‌കാരം" ['Not a man, not a woman', a ballad for mixed-sex children; Visualization through Mohiniyattam]. TheCue.in (in Malayalam). 30 August 2020. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
  33. ↑ ലേഖകൻ, മാധ്യമം (2021-08-26). "വിജയരാജമല്ലികയുടെ ആറാമത് പുസ്തകം 'ലിലിത്തിന് മരണമില്ല' പ്രകാശനം ചെയ്തു | Madhyamam". www.madhyamam.com (in Malayalam). Retrieved 2021-12-29.
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