THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thousands paid homage to poet O N V Kurup at VJT Hall on Sunday. People from various walks of life braved the sun to form long queues to get a glimpse of the poet who has inspired them for decades.
It had the representation of three generations who were influenced by the works of ONV. People made to ‘Indeevaram’, the house of the poet at Vazhuthacaud, early in the morning. Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan reached around 9.30 am. He paid his tribute and consoled poet’s wife Sarojini. ONV’s friend and poet Vishnu Narayanan Namboothiri also paid rich tributes. The body of ONV was taken to VJT Hall around 11 am and by then the queue got longer. Family members of the poet, including his wife and children, sat beside the body accompanied by poet Sugathakumari. Many including, poet Kureepuzha Sreekumar got emotional left the venue with tears in their eyes.
As the visitors increased time for public display was extended by 2 hours to 5 pm.
Mayor V K Prashant, V Sivankutty MLA, Health Minister V S Sivakumar, actor Manju Warrier, poets Madhusudhanan Nair and Puthussery Ramachandran, chairman of Kerala Sahithya Academy Perumbadavam Sreedharan, retired bureaucrats T K A Nair and T P Sreenivasan were among the visitors.
The funeral of O N V Kurup with full state honours will be held at 10 am on Monday at Santhikavadom, the state-run electric crematorium, named by the poet, at Thycaud. A group of singers led by K J Yesudas will pay musical tribute at the Santhikavadom during the funeral.
A Firm Krishna Devotee and a Staunch Communist
Kollam: Despite being a Left sympathiser to the core, poet O N V Kurup was at the same time religious and used to visit a temple frequently at his native place at Chavara here.
ONV was a staunch devotee of Krishna and used to visit the famous Sree Krishna temple whenever he got a chance during his visit to his ancestral house at Chavara, Manikandan, a relative of ONV, told ‘Express.’
He had an emotional attachment to his ancestral house as it was here he had penned the lyrics for the legendary play of KPAC ‘Ningalenne Communistakki’ scripted by Thoppil Bhasi, a communist activist.
ONV and music composer Devarajan Master used to spend long hours in the house giving shape to the songs for the play, says Manikandan, who was the president of Chavara panchayat.
It was a low-profile singer Kuttan Pillai who had the privilege to sing the song during rehearsal before it came to the public domain.
Kuttan Pillai was selected to sing the song as he had a good voice due to which he used to recite Bhagavatham at a temple at Chavara, he adds. He had said that the happenings in village during the early years had made him to think on Leftist lines. ONV was particular about spending Onam in his native place. He used to visit his house during Onam days when his grandmother was alive and used to have feast with her.
He had a long interaction with people when he was given a reception by the Chavara panchayat to honour him for winning the Jnanpith award on January 17, 2011, at Chavara. ‘Ponnarival Ambiliyil’ of ‘Ningalenne Communistakki’ was his most favourite drama song, he says. The play is believed to have laid the foundation for the election of the world’s first democratically-elected communist government.
Sonia Condoles ONV’s Death
Congress president Sonia Gandhi has condoled the death of O N V Kurup. In a message to his wife P P Sarojini, she said that ONV was “prolific in his creativity, generous in his mentoring of the younger generation, and unflagging in his commitment to social justice.”
Russia’s favourite son
T’Puram: In a message to the poet’s wife P P Sarojini, the Russian Ambassador to India, Alexander M Kadakin, said; “India has lost one of her outstanding sons - a great poet, prominent writer and dedicated social activist whose literary work and selfless service can hardly be overestimated. O N V Kurup is well known in Russia for his poetic talents as well as invaluable contribution to stronger long-standing and time-tested Russian-Indian friendship.” ONV is a recipient of the three prestigious awards conferred by Russia. He won the Soviet land Nehru Award in 1981, the Sergei Esenin Literary Prize in 2009, and, more recently, the Pushkin Medal.
Holiday Declared
T’Puram: The District Collector has declared a holiday for all colleges, except professional colleges, in the district on Monday in view of poet O N V Kurup’s death. The holiday is not applicable to schools, examinations and professional colleges. The Kerala Assembly will meet at 11.30 am on Monday and disperse after expressing its condolences.