Google doodle celebrated the 113th birth anniversary of Malayalam poet Balamani Amma with an special graphic on July 19. Today’s doodle was represented by Kerala-based artist Devika Ramachandran.
Google doodle celebrated the 113th birth anniversary of Malayalam poet Balamani Amma with an special graphic. She was known as the grandma of Malayalam literature. Today’s doodle was represented by Kerala-based artist Devika Ramachandran.
On this day in 1909, she was born in Nalapat, her ancestral home in Punnayurkulam located in the Thrissur district. She was a beneficiary of incalculable honors for her poetry including the Saraswati Samman — the country’s most regarded literary award—and Padma Vibhushanthe—second-highest civilian award of India.
Amma never got any formal training or education, however was rather educated at home by her uncle Nalappat Narayana Menon, who was likewise a famous Malayali poet. He had a great assortment of books and works that Amma learned early in life. At 19, she wedded VM Nair, the managing director and managing editor of Mathrubhumi, a Malayalam newspaper.
In 1930, at 21 years old, Amma published her first poem titled Kooppukai. Her first recognition as a gifted poet came from the former ruler of the Kingdom of Cochin, Parikshith Thampuran, who awarded her with the Sahithya Nipuna Puraskaram.
Amma’s verse would in general reframe the traditional understanding of women characters. Her initial poems celebrated motherhood in another light — she became famous as the “poetess of motherhood”. Her works took on the thoughts and stories of mythological characters, however portrayed women as strong figures who stayed ordinary human being. Her most popular works incorporate Amma (1934), Muthassi (1962) and Mazhuvinte Katha (1966).
Balamani Amma was likewise the mother of Kamala Das, who was nominated for the Nobel Prize in literature in 1984. Amma died in 2004 and her cremation was attended with full state honors.
