Kerala poet and Indian poet
Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon (11 May 1911 – 22 December 1985) (also written as Vailoppilli) was an Indian poet of
Malayalam literature
Malayalam, the lingua franca of the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puduchery, is one of the six Classical languages of India. Malayalam literature comprises those literary texts written in Malayalam, a Sou ...
. Known for his works such as ''Kudiyozhikkal'', ''Kannikkoythu'' and ''
Mambazham'', Menon was the founder president of the
Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham (Progressive Arts & Literary Organisation) an Association for Art and Letters, also known as the PuKaSa, is an organization of artists, writers and art and literature enthusiasts based in Kerala. The association was f ...
, an organization of Kerala-based artists, writers and art and literature enthusiasts. He was a recipient of several honors including
Sahitya Akademi Award
The Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honour in India, which the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of the most outstanding books of literary merit published in any of the 22 languages of the ...
,
Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry
The Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry is an award given every year by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi (Kerala Literary Academy) to Malayalam writers for writing poetry of literary merit. It is one of the twelve categories of the Kerala Sahitya A ...
,
Vayalar Award
The Vayalar Award is given for the best literary work in Malayalam. The award was instituted in 1977 by the Vayalar Ramavarma Memorial Trust in memory of the poet and lyricist Vayalar Ramavarma (1928-1975). A sum of 25,000, a silver plate and ce ...
and
Odakkuzhal Award
''Odakkuzhal'' is a 1975 Indian Malayalam-language film, directed by P. N. Menon and produced by M. P. Navakumar. The film stars Sheela, Jose Prakash, P. J. Antony and Alummoodan in the lead roles. The film has musical score by M. K. Arjunan ...
.
Life and career
Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon was born on May 11, 1911 in
Kaloor
Kaloor is a downtown region in the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is from the Ernakulam North Railway Station. Kaloor Junction is also the name of a major intersection in this part of the city, intersecting the two major art ...
in
ernakulam
Ernakulam () is the Central Business District of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Many major establishments, including the Kerala High Court, the office of the Kochi Municipal Corporation a ...
to Cheranellore Kochukuttan Kartha and Nanikutty Amma.
Starting his early education was with a local ''Asan'' (teacher), Menon did his formal education initially at the Government Primary School, Kaloor and later at
St. Albert's High School, Ernakulam from where he completed the high school education in 1927. Subsequently, he graduated in Science from
Maharaja's College, Ernakulam
The Maharaja's College is a government college of higher education located in Kochi, Kerala. Established in 1875, it is one of the oldest colleges in India. Located in the heart of the city, the college is spread over a campus of on the ban ...
. He continued his education to pass BT degree from Seythapet Training College, Madras and started his career as a teacher in government service in 1931 at Kandassamkadavu Government High School.
His teaching career took him to 20 different schools in Kerala until his retirement from service in 1966 as the head master of Ollur High School, the present day
.
He was involved with literary organizations such as
Kerala Sahitya Akademi
The Kerala Sahitya Akademi or Academy for Malayalam literature is an autonomous body established to promote the Malayalam language and Malayalam literature, literature. It is situated in City of Thrissur, Kerala in India.
History
The academy ...
and Sahitya Pravartaka Sahakarana Sanghom; he was a member of the organizing committee of the former and the board of directors of the latter. He also served as the editor of the official magazine of the
Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad
Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) (meaning: ''Kerala Science Literature Movement'') is a progressive outfit in the state of Kerala, India. It was conceived as a people's science movement. At the time of its founding in 1962 it was a 40-membe ...
.
When
Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham (Progressive Arts & Literary Organisation) an Association for Art and Letters, also known as the PuKaSa, is an organization of artists, writers and art and literature enthusiasts based in Kerala. The association was f ...
, a forum of progressive writers led by leftist intellectuals and artists, was formed in 1981, he was selected as its founder president and he held the position until 1985.
He represented Kerala thrice at the national poets' meetings of 1951 (Delhi), 1959 (Delhi) and 1965 (Bengaluru) and toured the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
in 1970.
Menon married Bhanumathi Amma, a school teacher, in 1955.
They had two sons, Sreekumar, an
ayurvedic
Ayurveda () is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. The theory and practice of Ayurveda is pseudoscientific. Ayurveda is heavily practiced in India and Nepal, where around 80% of the population rep ...
physician and Vijayakumar, a
homeopathic
Homeopathy or homoeopathy is a pseudoscientific system of alternative medicine. It was conceived in 1796 by the German physician Samuel Hahnemann. Its practitioners, called homeopaths, believe that a substance that causes symptoms of a dise ...
doctor.
However, the couple had differences between themselves
and were staying separately when he died on December 22, 1985, succumbing to brain hemorrhage.
Bhanumathi Amma survived him and died on June 26, 2018.
Legacy
![Vyloppilli Ssamskrithi Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Vyloppilli_Ssamskrithi_Bhavan%2C_Thiruvananthapuram%2C_Kerala%2C_India.JPG)
Menon started writing under the pen name ''Sree'' and his first poetry anthology, ''Kannikkoythu'' (The Maiden Harvest) was published in 1947;
Kuttikrishna Marar
Karikkatt Marathu Kuttikrishna Marar (14 June 1900 – 6 April 1973) was an Indian essayist and literary critic of Malayalam literature. He was known for ''Bharathaparyaadanam'', a critical study of the Mahabharata, which is counted by many a ...
opined that the poems signify a strong sprouting of Malayalam poetry that deviated from the romantic tradition prevalent during those times.
He is considered by literary historians as one of the major voices in Malayalam poetry who marked the transition from the
Romantic to the
modern
Modern may refer to:
History
* Modern history
** Early Modern period
** Late Modern period
*** 18th century
*** 19th century
*** 20th century
** Contemporary history
* Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century
Phil ...
era.
A scientific insight into the historical roots of social evolution and a deeper understanding of the psychological undercurrents of the human mind characterise his poetry. His mastery of the medium is evident in all his poems both lyrical and narrative.
Menon published around 20 books, composed of poems, plays and biographies.
Many critics consider the long poem ''Kudiyozhikkal'' (Eviction of the tenant) as his
magnum opus
A masterpiece, ''magnum opus'' (), or ''chef-d’œuvre'' (; ; ) in modern use is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, ...
.
M. Leelavathy wrote that ''the poem is a ruthless self-examination of a middle class land owner who realizes that the future belongs not to himself but to his poor tenant whom he despises at heart''. The poem has been translated into English by P. K. N. Panicker and is included in the book, ''Selected Poems of Valoppilli Sreedhara Menon''. ''Vida'', ''Kannikkoythu'', ''Makarakoythu'' and ''Kaipavallari'' are among his other major works, all of which have won awards. ''Kanneerpadam'', a poem he wrote soon after his separation from his wife, is reported to be autobiographical.
''Sahyante Makan'', a Malayalam film released in 1982, is based on a poem of the same name written by Menon.
[982
Year 982 ( CMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place Europe
* Summer – Emperor Otto II (the Red) assembles an imperial expeditionary force at Tara ...]
.
Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon received the Soviet Land Nehru Award in 1964, the same year as the Kerala Sahitya Akademi awarded him their
for his anthology, ''Kaipavallari''.
, the same year.
in 1981.
He was also a recipient of the Madras State Government Award, Kalyani Krishna Menon Prize and
Prize. An annual literary award, ''Vyloppilli Poetry Award'', has been instituted in his honour.
have built a multi-purpose cultural complex housing an open air auditorium, art gallery and museum block in Nanthancode,
and the complex has been named ''Vailoppilly Samskrithi Bhavan'' in honor of the poet.
The museum block also holds the personal belongings of Menon.
Another institution that holds Menon's name is Government Vocational Higher Secondary School, Ollur, the institution where he served as the head master at the time of his retirement which is known as
.
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*''Sreerekha''
*''Onappatukar''
*''Kuruvikal''
*''Minnaminni''
*''Pachakkuthira''
*''Mukulamala''
*''Krishnamrigangal''
*''Mambazham''
*''Yugaparivarthanam''