Revision 168700730 of "Kalki Krishnamurthy" on enwiki

[[Image:KalkiPhotograph.png|thumb|"Kalki" R Krishnamurthy]]

'''Kalki''' ({{lang-ta|கல்கி}}) was the pen name of '''Krishnamurthy''' ({{lang-ta|கிருஷ்ணமூர்தி}}) ([[September 9]] [[1899]]–[[December 5]], [[1954]]), an [[India]]n [[freedom fighter]], [[novel]]ist, short-story writer, [[journalist]], [[satirist]], travel writer, script-writer, poet, critic, and [[connoisseur]] of the arts. 

== Life ==
Krishnamurthy was born at Puttamangalam in the [[Thanjavur]] district in an orthodox, large Brahmin family with limited means. After primary education in the village, Krishnamurthy joined the National  High School at [[Tiruchi]], about 100 [[kilometre]]s away.

When [[Mahatma Gandhi]] launched his [[non-cooperation movement]] in 1921, thousands of students gave up their studies to participate; Krishnamurthy was among them. Inspired by Gandhi's speech at a public meeting in Tiruchi, and despite the Secondary School Leaving Certificate examination being just three months away, he left school and joined the [[Indian National Congress]]. 

In 1922, he was given a one-year prison sentence for participating in the independence struggle. It was during this period that Krishnamurthy came into contact with two people who were to play a major role throughout his life: veteran Congress leader [[C. Rajagopalachari]], and [[T. Sadasivam]], who was to become a life-long friend and partner in journalistic ventures.

Krishnamurthy's first attempt at writing fiction also came during that period. In 1923 he became a sub-editor on ''Navasakthi'', a Tamil periodical edited by Tamil scholar and freedom fighter [[V. Kalyanasundaram]], known as "Thiru Vi. Ka". Krishnamurthy's first book was published in 1927.

Leaving Navasakthi in 1928, Krishnamurthy stayed with C. Rajagopalachari at the Gandhi Ashram in [[Tiruchengode]] in [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]] district and helped him edit ''Vimochanam'', a Tamil journal devoted to propagating prohibition. In 1931, he was again imprisoned for six months.

Next year Krishnamurthy joined ''[[Ananda Vikatan]]'', a weekly edited and published by [[S.S. Vasan]], as its de facto editor. The magazine soon became a household name in middle class families. Krishnamurthy's witty, incisive comments on politics, literature, music and other forms of art were looked forward to with unceasing interest by readers. He wrote under the pen names of "Kalki", "Ra. Ki", "Tamil Theni", "Karnatakam" ,and so on. Vikatan published many of his short stories and novels (as serials).

The name ''Kalki'' denotes the impending tenth [[Avatar]] of Lord [[Vishnu]] in the [[Hindu]] religion, who it is said, will bring to an end the [[Kali Yuga]] and reinstate [[Dharma]] or righteoueness among the worldly beings. He used the name because like the Avatar he wanted to bring about great changes, and also in honor of his mentor [[Kalyana Sundaram Mudaliar]], taking the "Kal" from his name and the "Ki" from his own. He is often referred to as "Kalki Krishnamurthy" or simply "Kalki".

In 1941 he left Ananda Vikatan and rejoined the freedom struggle and courted arrest. On his release after three months he and Sadasivam started the weekly, ''[[Kalki (Tamil magazine)|Kalki]]''. He was its editor until his death on [[December 5]] [[1954]].

== Works ==

Krishnamurthy specialised in the semi-historic genre, where he blended ancient tales, legends and historic facts with fictional escapades to produce epics. The following are his most famous in this category:

* ''[[Ponniyin Selvan]]'' 
* ''[[Sivagamiyin sabadham|Sivagamiyin Sabadham]]'' 
* ''[[Parthiban Kanavu]]'' 

He also wrote social novels, which dealt with social awakening, rights and the [[Indian independence movement]]. His most famous in this genre were.

* ''[[Alai Osai]]'' 
* ''[[Thyaga Bhoomi]]''

His other novels include
* ''[[Kalvanin Kaadhali]]'' 
* ''Poiman Karadu''

His short stories include
* Kanaiyazhiyin Kanavu

He was also a great patron of [[Carnatic music]]. He wrote his criticisms under the pseudonym ''Karnatakam''. He also penned many songs and lyrics, most of which were adapted into Carnatic Music.

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* [http://www.chennaibest.com/cityresources/Books_and_Hobbies/kalki.asp The Tamil Writer "Kalki"] 
* [http://www.geocities.com/ponniyinselvan_kalki Writings of Kalki (in Tamil)]
* [http://www.tamilnation.org/hundredtamils/kalki.htm Kalki Krishnamurthy] - One Hundred Tamils of 20th Century
* {{dlw|http://www.chennailibrary.com/ebooks/kalkicd.html|Free Tamil e-books, including Kalki's famous novels}}
* [http://kalkiweekly.com/ Kalki - the weekly (Tamil)] 
* [http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/ponniyinselvan Ponniyin Selvan (Kalki's Novel) Yahoo Groups] 
* [http://www.ponniyinselvan.info Ponniyin Selvan (Kalki's Novel) Yahoo Groups Archive] 
{{IndiaFreedom}}

[[Category:Tamil-language writers]]
[[Category:Indian literature]]
[[Category:Indian novelists]]
[[Category:1899 births|Krishnamurthy, Kalki]]
[[Category:1954 deaths|Krishnamurthy, Kalki]]
[[Category:Deaths by tuberculosis|Krishnamurthy, Kalki]]
[[Category:Indian people|Krishnamurthy, Kalki]]
[[Category:Iyers]]

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