Civic Chandran

Civic Chandran (born 5 April 1951) is an Indian playwright, poet, editor, former Naxalite,[1] social activist and political commentator from Kerala. He is the editor of Patabhedam magazine. He was instrumental in popularising street theatre in Kerala and is a strong critic of Kerala's mainstream left.

Civic Chandran
Native name
സിവിക് ചന്ദ്രൻ
BornC. V. Kuttan
(1951-04-05) April 5, 1951
Murikungal, Trichur district, Travancore-Cochin
OccupationTeacher, writer, editor, activist
LanguageMalayalam
SpouseP. Sridevi
Children2

Life

He was born on 5 April 1951 in Murikungal village near Kodakara in Trichur district. He was the eldest of four children born to Velappan and Lakshmi. His birth name was C. V. Kuttan.[2] From 1968 to 1981 he worked as a teacher in Wayanad and Eranad. In 1981, he was suspended from the job on charges of Naxalite links. Following the acquittal by the High Court, he returned to teaching in 1991.[2] Now retired, he lives in West Hill, Calicut. He was married to P. Sridevi, who died some years before. There were two daughters from the marriage. [2][3]

In July 2022, a complaint was lodged against Civic Chandran for sexually assaulting a woman activist.[4][5]

Career

Civic was a member of the editorial board of Yanan magazine. This magazine was later confiscated by the government. He was imprisoned during the Emergency.[6] He edited an anthology of poems titled Thadavara Kavithakal (Poems from Prison). He notes that political prisoners like him started to write poems in prison as part of survival and resistance.[7]

Civic was the secretary of Janakiya Samskarika Vedi and editor of its mouthpiece Prerana.[8] Civic was instrumental in popularising street theatre in Kerala.[2] The magazines Vakku and Patabhedam were published under his leadership.[2] In 1995, he staged the play Ningal Aare Communist Akki (Who did you make a communist), a counter drama based on Thoppil Bhasi's Ningal Enne Communist Akki (You made me a communist).[9] The play sparked off a storm by taking an unsparing look at mainstream communism, calling it anti-Dalit and patriarchal.[10] The play also led to the Civic Chandran v. Ammini Amma case, a landmark case in Indian copyright law.

Civil is a regular columnist in magazines and newspapers and writes about cultural issues. Civic is a distinct voice in Kerala's cultural arena, often clashing with and opposing the traditional left. He handled columns in Madhyamam and India Today. He is now the editor of Pathabhedam magazine.[2]

Works
Poetry
  • Thadavara Kavithakal (ed.)
  • Velichathekurichoru Gitam
  • Griha Pravesam
  • Valathuvasam Chernnu Nadakkuka (2017)[11]
Plays
  • Kurisu Yuddham Thudangunnavar
  • Thamrapathrangal (Akshouhini)
  • Ningal Aare Communist Akki
  • Ezhupathukalil Sambhavichath
  • Agnaye Idam Na Mama
  • Ningal Enthinanu Ente Kuttiye Perumazhayathu Nirthiyirikunath (2012)[12]
Essays
  • Antennayil Kattu Pidikkumpol
  • Karinkanna Nokkanda (2001)[13]
  • Gamayude Paitrukam
Memoirs
  • Ezhupathukal Vilichappol (2009)

References
  1. "Chronicling a revolution". The Hindu. 15 October 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  2. "സിവിക്‌ ചന്ദ്രൻ". Puzha.com (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 2020-08-04. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  3. Anna Bijoy (11 June 2019). "For the love of transcreation". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 12 June 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  4. "Writer Civic Chandran booked on charge of sexual assault". The Hindu. 17 July 2022. Archived from the original on 17 July 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  5. "'Feminist movement in State split over Civic Chandran case'". The Hindu. 3 September 2022. Archived from the original on 3 September 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  6. P. Venugopal (27 June 2015). "Remembering Rajan, the Innocent Victim of Brutal Emergency Excesses". The Wire. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  7. Mini Chandran (2017). The Writer, the Reader and the State: Literary Censorship in India. India: SAGE Publications.
  8. K. Sreejith (2005). "Naxalite Movement and Cultural Resistance: Experience of Janakiya Samskarika Vedi in Kerala (1980-82)" (PDF). Economic and Political Weekly. 40 (50): 5333–5337. JSTOR 4417526. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  9. Shaju Philip (18 August 2022). "Civic Chandran: Radical Left thinker and CPM critic, now at centre of sexual assault row". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  10. M. G. Radhakrishnan (31 August 1995). "Plans to stage controversial play, Ningal Are Communistakki?, rouse Kerala communists' ire". India Today. Archived from the original on 13 February 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  11. "സിവിക്കിന്റെ ചോദ്യങ്ങള്‍ സമൂഹത്തെ തട്ടിക്കുടയുന്നു- സാറാ ജോസഫ്". Mathrubhumi. 4 December 2017. Archived from the original on 13 February 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  12. M. Thomas Mathew. "മൗനത്തിന്റെ മുഴക്കങ്ങൾ". Madhyamam Weekly. Archived from the original on 20 December 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  13. "കരിങ്കണ്ണാ നോക്കണ്ടാ". Puzha.com (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 2016-04-04. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
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