Kozhikode: Story teller Akbar Kakkattil is no more

Kozhikode: Scores of people paid their last respects to litterateur and Kerala Sahitya Akademi vice-president Akbar Kakkattil (62) who died in Kozhikode in the wee hours of Wednesday due to lung disease. He had more than 54 books to his credit comprising of short stories, novels and essays.

Kakkattil was noticed for his portraying of affable village lives, mostly located in his hometown of Kakkattil and nearby Vadakara. Wit and pranks were the common traits of the umpteen characters he created.

A teacher by profession, Kakkattil’s ‘teacher stories’ made his stamp in Malayalam literary world. Adyapaka Kathakal, School Diary, Sargasameeksha, Nadapuram, Vadakkuninnoru Kudumbavrithaantham were his notable works.  He was credited with several awards and recognitions including Kerala Sahitya Akademy award twice.

The mortal remains of Kakkattil were kept at the Town Hall here for three hours and people from different walks of life thronged to have a last glance.

Kerala Sahitya Akademi president Perumbadavam Sreedharan, secretary R. Gopalakrishnan, actors Sreenivasan, Mamukkoya, writers P. Valsala, Subhash Chandran, K. P. Ramanunni, P.K. Parakkadavu, Mayor V.K.C. Mammad Koya, district collector, N. Prashant among many others paid their homage. Later, hise body was buried at Kandothkuni Juma Masjid in Kakkattil in the evening.

A teacher full of pranks, wit Akbar Kakkattil

It was because of Karoor Neelakanta Pillai, stories about teachers also got prominence in Malayalam’s literary world through the writings of Akbar Kakkattil, a retired teacher. Stories like ‘Adyapaka Kathakal’ and ‘School diary’ (essays) portrayed the happenings in classrooms and staff rooms laced with wit and sarcasm. Village centric school life and its innocence were the characteristics of his ‘teacher stories’.

The teacher represented by Kakkattil was in stark contrast with that of Karoor, observes noted writer and teacher, V. Dileep. “Kakkattil’s teacher was a bit of a prankster. Whereas, Karoor’s teacher was one who stole a student’s lunch because of poverty. But Kakkattil introduced a new teacher in the short story, ‘Njangal Liba Johnine Pedikkunnu’, one who steals the fried rice of his student to consume along with liquor,” Dileep elaborated.

“In ‘Angaadi nilavaaram’, a short story, Kakkattil narrated the mad scramble of an educated youth to become a teacher in an aided school even by desiring the death of a teacher so that there would be a vacancy for him to fill,” Dileep said. Dileep, Journalism teacher at St Antony’s HSS, Puthukkad, Thrissur hails from Kakkattil area and was brought into the literary world by Akbar Kakkattil.

“Village life, especially that of Vadakara region is in full bloom in his stories. As a student reading his teacher stories and recalling it after I became a teacher, I find all those were natural and original,” felt Sumitha Sivanandan, English teacher at GVHSS, Thamarasserry. “His writing was firmly grounded. There are no embellishments or artificiality. The staff room gossip and loose talks he wrote about was so natural,” says K.J Manoj, Malayalam teacher at GBHSS, Koyilandy.

Ragesh N.S, teacher at MHSS, Munniyur cites the story, ‘Ini Namuk Rasheedayekurichu Chindikkam’ which leaves an indelible mark on readers. “The story focuses on the life of a smart beautiful girl who had to cut short her studies for marriage. The narration, humour and grief were so touching,” he said.