K. C. Kesava Pillai was a prominent composer and Poet Laureate of Travancore. His contribution to Karnatic music as well as Malayalam literature is commendableA close associate of both Kerala Varma and Rajaraja Varma, K.C.Kesa Pillai was a man of remarkable talent. His major works are Kesaviyam (a mahakavya), Sadarama (a musical play on the Tamil mode, extremely popular at the time), Asanna marana chinta satakam (Reflections of a Dying Man, in a century of quatrains)and a number of attakkathas. His Kesaviyam is a mahakavya modeled on the Sanskrit pattern and strictly adhering to the rules of structure and style laid down by the classical rhetorician, Dandi.
K.C. Kesava Pillai was also a distinguished composer of songs of rare merit and his position as a composer is next only to those of Swathi Tirunal and Irayimman Tampi among Kerala musicians. But his best work as a poet is Asanna marana chita satakam which, although written for a competition, is a touching lyrical monologue with a predominant elegiac tone and anticipates the Khandakavyas or shorter poems of the poets of the renaissance.
He was born in 1868 (M.E.1043). His parents were Raman Pillai of Valiavelichathu Veetil and Lekshmi Amma of vazhvila tharavaadu Kochethubhavanam. He had school education up to the 5th standard only. Afterwards, he studied works like Adhyatma Ramayanam Kilippattu and Bhgavatham Kilippattu along with other works in Malayalam literature by himself. Further, he learned music and attained proficiency in it. He also used to watch Kathakali with enthusiasm and learn basics of Kathakali literature, costumes, mudras, techniques etc. At the age of 15, he wrote his first Attakakdha named ‘Prahlaada Charitham’. But scholars advised him to gain more proficiency in Sanskrit so that he himself can correct his works. He started to learn Sanskrit under the guidance of Paravoor V. Kesavan Asan. Afterwards he modified the already written attakadha Prahlaada Charitham and renamed it as Hiranyasura Vadham.
Later he mastered ‘vyakarana’ under his co-brother Ennakkattu Rajaraja Varma. He also learned English during this time. By the time he was 20, he finished writing the attakadhaas, four folk songs and Sthavaratnamalika. The three attakadhaas are Hiranyasura Vadham, Soorapadmasura Vadham, and Sreekrishna Vijayam.
Sangeetha manjari and Sthavaratnavali contained beautiful kritis and bhjana songs. Sangeethamalika and Eswarasthotrangal are also his prominent works. He composed prayers in praise of God to be sung by all communities irrespective of religion, caste and creed. Altogether, K. C. Kesava Pillai is believed to have composed 100 keertanas and has written a famous Geyanataka (musical play) ‘Sadaarama’ and mahakavya ‘Kesaveeyam’.
In 1896, K. C. Kesava Pillai was appointed as teacher in Kollam Malayalam school. After some years he got promotion as Sanskrit Munshi in the English medium school. In 1894 he wrote Sreemoolarajavijayam and submitted it to Sree Moolam Thirunal Maharaja. Aasannamaranachintasatakam is a work consisting of 104 slokas in Saardoolavikriditham. Kerala Bhashaa Narayaneeyam is a translation of Narayaneeyam in Malayalam. Here both the lyrics and style stand on par with the famous Narayaneeyam. In addition, he has written some play like Lekshmi Kalyanam, Raghava Madhavam, Vikramorvaseeyam, etc. Subhashitha Rathnakaram and Abinayamalika are works of importance. He passed away in 1914 at the age of 46.
On account of his musical and poetical scholarship, he was awarded the title of ‘Sarasa Gayaka Kavimani’ by Sangeethasahityakovda Kerala Varma Valiya Koyi Thampuran.
Some of the famous compositions of K. C. Kesava Pillai are as follows: Satya Swaroopavibho in Sankarabharana, Bhajikka Nee Ramane in Mohana, Koti Divakara in Dhanyasi, Nana Jaathikal in Kamboji, Vande Maaathram in Sindhubhairavi, Vade Maatharam in Kuntalavarali, Kamalanatha in Thodi, Sree Vasudeva in Kapi raga etc.
He is credited with a multi lingual Ragamalika ‘Adimalarina’ in four languages namely Malayalam, Tamil, English and Sanskrit.
