Arabic poetry in Kerala and its role in documenting events and calamities with special reference to poet Kottoor Alavikkutty Moulavi

Abstract

This dissertation examines Arabic poetry in Kerala and its role in documenting events and calamities, with special reference to the poet Kottoor Alavi Kutty Moulavi It is an academic study that highlights the status of Arabic poetry in Kerala and its cultural and documentary role across the ages. The research has been prepared for submission to the Department of Postgraduate Studies and Research in Arabic Language and Literature at Madeenathul Uloom Arabic College, Pulikkal, affiliated with the University of Calicut, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Arabic Language and Literature. The study demonstrates that Arabic poetry in Kerala originated and flourished more than five centuries ago in a fertile scholarly and cultural environment, which contributed to the emergence of a large number of writers and poets who gained renown in both Arab and non-Arab circles. The scholars of Kerala adopted Arabic as a medium to express their ideas, emotions, and aspirations, indicating the deep-rooted presence of the Arabic language in religious, social, and intellectual life, and its use in everyday interactions as well as in scholarly and literary composition. The research also highlights the distinguished position attained by poetic works produced in Kerala, in terms of the diversity of their themes and their adherence to the various classical Arabic metres. At the same time, these works employed local melodies and rhythmic patterns that reflect the cultural specificity of Keralite society. The themes of this poetry range from religious and social concerns to national issues, in addition to the expression of individual and collective experiences, reflecting the vitality of the poetic scene and the multiplicity of its intellectual and artistic trends. The study focuses on the analysis of selected contemporary poetic samples collected from primary sources through personal interviews and digital communication. It provides biographical accounts of the poets and an assessment of their literary contributions, along with an analysis of the thematic content of their poetry, particularly in relation to the poetic documentation of events and calamities in a powerful and evocative style. Among the most prominent poets examined is Kottoor Alavi Kutty Moulavi, whose poetry encompasses a wide range of social, political, cultural, religious, educational, and historical themes. He also composed short didactic poems for children in concise metres and limited lines, incorporating educational content and riddles, set to short chants based on metres such as ramal, hazaj, and rajaz. The study is divided into four main chapters. The first chapter explores the emergence of Arabic poetry in Kerala and its development under the influence of Islamic presence and educational traditions that contributed to the flourishing of the Arabic language. The second chapter discusses the role of Kerala’s poets in documenting historical events and natural and social calamities through their poems, which combined aesthetic expression with a documentary function. The third chapter is devoted to the life of Moulavi Alavi Kutty Kotturi, examining his educational background, literary activities, and the distinctive features of his poetic personality. The fourth chapter presents an analysis of a selection of his poems that address events and calamities experienced in Kerala, highlighting how the poet portrayed collective suffering and articulated it in a poetic language with both humanistic and documentary dimensions. The study concludes that Arabic poetry in Kerala—particularly the poetry of Moulavi Alavi Kutty Kotturi—has played a significant role in documenting the social and emotional history of the Muslim community. It deserves further scholarly attention as an integral part of the Arab-Islamic heritage in the Indian subcontinent