THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Joining the distinguished league of poets who have contributed to Sanskrit literature, Malayalam poet Vishnu Narayanan Nampoothiri is all set to bring out his first collection of poems in the language.
Poet Sugathakumari will release ‘Sukrutam’, the first collection of Sanskrit verses by Nampoothiri at Gandhi Bhavan, Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram, at 5 pm on December 7. Published by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, the collection printed in the Devanagari script, comprises four parts.
The first, with sthuthis and sthothrams, partakes of spirituality and includes Sreevallabha Sthuthi, Mookambikashtakam and Sreesabareesa Suprabhatham. Memories and personal profiles make up the second segment. Personalities such as Bhasan, Kalidasan and Heisenberg find a space in this section.
The third section deals with ideologies. A translation of Nampoothiri’s poem ‘Jayam’ by N V P Unnithiri, who has also edited the collection comprises the fourth segment. “Kerala, known for its contribution to Sanskrit literature, boasted of many poets who could write with ease in Malayalam and Sanskrit.
But in the last half century, perhaps with the exception of Vishnu Narayanan’s guru N V Krishna Warrier, there wasn’t any one who could keep alive the tradition. Vishnu Narayanan who is a Malayalam poet, English Professor and Sanskrit scholar, has now accomplished the same,” said Athmaaraaman, Nampoothiri’s student.