Biennale turns spotlight on the world of Malayalam short stories

Kochi / February 2, 2026

Kochi, Feb 2: The Kochi Biennale Foundation is set to turn the spotlight on the Malayalam short story with a three-day literary programme, titled ‘Cherukadhayude Ullarakal / Short Stories, Long Shadows: Contemporary Malayalam Voices’, to be held from February 4 to 6 at the Pavilion, Bastion Bungalow, Fort Kochi.

Bringing together some of the most influential voices in contemporary Malayalam literature, the programme proposes an expansive conversation on the short story, its past, present and future, as a form deeply attuned to social change, political urgency and lived experience.

Through keynote addresses, conversations and panel discussions, the event will explore how cherukatha (short story) continues to evolve in response to shifting realities, linguistic experimentation and global circulation.

The series opens on February 4 with a keynote address by noted writer N. S. Madhavan, who will trace the echoes of tradition and transformation in the Malayalam short story. This will be followed by a conversation between Paul Zachariah and V. S. Ajith Kumar, setting the tone for a reflective engagement with literary memory and dissent.

The afternoon panel, Writing the Moment: Cherukatha and Contemporary Experience, will examine how short fiction responds to political fractures, social anxieties and moments of crisis, featuring Haritha Savithry, Shahina K. Rafiq, Francis Noronha, Hareesh S and Bonny Thomas, moderated by Aswathy Gopalakrishnan.

On February 5, novelist Sara Joseph will be in conversation with Sangeetha Srinivasan, followed by a panel on Form, Language, and Precision, focusing on craft, brevity and experimentation in short fiction. Writers M. Nandakumar, R. Shyamkrishnan and Aash Ashita will discuss rhythm, silence and abstraction, with Priya K. Nair moderating.

The concluding day, February 6, will turn attention to Memory, Translation and Circulation, addressing how Malayalam short stories travel across languages, regions and generations.

The panel, featuring C. S. Chandrika, N. S. Madhavan and E. Santhosh Kumar, and moderated by Shahina K. Rafiq, will reflect on translation, readership and the future of the form in a changing literary ecosystem.

ENDS