Abel Periyappuram

Abel Periyappuram
Statue at Kalabhavan
Born
P. M. Mathew

(1920-01-19)19 January 1920
Mulakulam, Kingdom of Travancore, British India
(present day Ernakulam, Kerala, India)
Died27 October 2001(2001-10-27) (aged 81)
Thodupuzha, Idukki, Kerala, India
Resting placeSt Anne's CMI Monastery Kurianad, Kuravilangadu, Kottayam District
NationalityIndian
Alma materSapienza University of Rome
(Doctor of Philosophy)
Occupations
  • Catholic priest
  • Journalist
  • Lyricist
Years active1963 – 2001

Abel Periyappuram (born Periyappuram Mathan Mathew, 19 January 1920 – 27 October 2001), commonly known as Fr. Abel, was an Indian Syro-Malabar Catholic CMI priest, journalist, and lyricist, best known as the founding father of Kalabhavan, a centre for learning performance arts in Kochi, India.[1] Periyappuram, with the help of K. K. Antony, a music teacher, and K. J. Yesudas, then a budding playback singer, started Kalabhavan as the Christian Arts Club to promote Christian music, in the year 1969. Soon, with the support of Archbishop Joseph Parecattil and the Archdiocese of Eranakulam, the Club was registered as Kalabhavan.[2]

  1. ^ "Story of Kalabhavan Fr. Abel About Kalabhavan Academy Art Gallery Degree Courses". kalabhavan.org. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  2. ^ "K. K. Antony". www.thecmsindia.org. Archived from the original on 25 September 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2015.