Middle Malayalam

Middle Malayalam is the period of the Malayalam language spanning from 13th century to 15th century AD.^[1][2]

The works including Unniyachi Charitham, Unnichiruthevi Charitham, and Unniyadi Charitham, are written in Middle Malayalam, those date back to 13th and 14th centuries of Common Era.^[3][4] The Sandesha Kavyas of 14th century CE written in Manipravalam language include Unnuneeli Sandesam.^[3][4] The word Manipravalam literally means Diamond-Coral or Ruby-Coral. The 14th-century Lilatilakam text states Manipravalam to be a Bhashya (language) where "Malayalam and Sanskrit should combine together like ruby and coral, without the least trace of any discord".^[5][6] Kannassa Ramayanam and Kannassa Bharatam by Rama Panikkar of the Niranam poets who lived between 1350 and 1450 are representative of this language.^[7] The Champu Kavyas written by Punam Nambudiri, one among the Pathinettara Kavikal (Eighteen and a half poets) in the court of the Zamorin of Calicut, also belong to Middle Malayalam.^[4][3]

The Old Malayalam language (9th century CE – 13th century CE) was employed in several official records and transactions (at the level of the Chera Perumal kings as well as the upper-caste (Nambudiri) villages).^[8] It was an inscriptional language and there was not any literary work of its own, with possible exceptions of Ramacharitam and Thirunizhalmala.^[9] However the Malayalam literature completely diverged from the contemporary Tamil literature by the period of Middle Malayalam.^[7] The Middle Malayalam period marked the commencement of the unique traits of Malayalam literature.^[3][4] The literary works written in Middle Malayalam were heavily influenced by Sanskrit and Prakrit, while comparing them with the modern Malayalam literature.^[3][4]