Malayalam little magazine sets eyes on world record

A capsule literary magazine in Malayalam is inching towards a world record by publishing the contributions of more than 1,000 writers in a single issue. The little magazine, Innu, appears to have set its eyes on the Guinness after having won the

Limca Book of Records for being the country’s longest running inland

magazine four years ago.

The magazine has released its 40th anniversary issue, Innu Ormakkudanna,

by including articles and poems in capsule form by 1,062 writers. “I don’t think any other magazine, no matter big or small, has carried 1,062 articles and poems by as many writers. It makes Malayalam proud,” said poet Manambur Rajanbabu, editor of Innu.

From Vaikom Mohammed Basheer to K. Anamika, the magazine has not left

any Malayalam writer who trod Kerala in the last four decades. The

170-page magazine with a solid spine looks like a tribute to Malayalam

writers. The cover page carries the names of about 150 writers,

beginning with Basheer.

The top four lines of the cover has the names of Basheer, G. Sankarakurup, Thakazhi, Vailoppilly, N.V. Krishna Varier, M.T. Vasudevan Nair, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, O.N.V. Kurup, O.V. Vijayan, Akkitham, Sukumar Azhikode, V.K.N., T. Padmanabhan, M. Govindan, M.N. Vijayan, N.P. Mohammed, Madhavikkutty, Kunhunni, Ayyappa Panikkar, N.N. Pillai and Sugathakumari.

“But it’s never in order. Many more well-known personalities like U.R. Ananthamurthy, C. Radhakrishnan, Kovilan, Punathil Kunhabdulla, M. Mukundan, Alankode Leelakrishnan, Sreekumaran Thampi and K.J. Yesudas have contributed,” said Mr. Rajanbabu.

Innu Ormakkudanna lists all the 1,062 contributors in English alphabetical order at the beginning. Basheer gets a special treatment in the magazine as his longest capsule contribution occupies the opening page in full. Basheer’s story Janmavasana was

originally published in the magazine’s 1993 special story issue.

Thousands of Malayalis living in different parts of the country have been getting the monthly inland magazine virtually free since December 1981. “No Malayalam writer who lived in the last four decades has gone without contributing in this magazine. That makes Innu so special and dear,” said Mr. Rajanbabu.

Anyone who sends postage stamp for ₹50 to the Editor, Innu Magazine, Malappuram-676505 can get the magazine and its special issues for a year. “The postage stamp is just a formality. The thrust is to encourage reading and letter writing,” said Mr. Rajanbabu.

The magazine has won several awards. Apart from the Limca Book of Record Award in 2017, it won the Malayalam Book Development Council Award for printing and designing in 1988. Its special issues such as Kavitha Pathippu, Pirannal Pathippu, Onakkazhcha, Kathakkudanna and Kavithakkudanna have been a collector’s pride.