Poet Kureepuzha Sreekumar pays rich tributes to O N V Kurup
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Poet Kureepuzha Sreekumar said poet O N V Kurup would be relevant even after 50 years. He was speaking after inaugurating a commemorative event in the name of ONV at Government Cotton LP School, a few meters away from the late poet’s house at Vazhuthacaud, on Sunday. An ever romantic poet, ONV’s mind never followed his body and it was evident from the lyrics he wrote for the film ‘Vaisali’. His second death anniversary falls on February 13.
Sreekumar said ONV saw the seeds of future and his poems spoke about the dreams he had for the future. “He was born on the shores of the Ashtamudi Lake which had contributed many great personalities to Malayalam literature. His life and poems give us guidance,” said Sreekumar.
According to Sreekumar, the role of campus politics in shaping up a person of ONV’s stature showed us the need to give political freedom to students. ONV used to dream about the Earth he loved the most, but the same poet later wrote ‘Bhoomikkoru charamageetham’ (A Dirge for the Earth) as he foresaw its decline at the hands of man, he said.
Sreekumar spoke about the influence the late poet had on him. “When he wrote ‘Ujjaini’,a narrative poem on the life of Kalidasa, the rationalist in ONV thoughtfully omitted the myth that associated with Kalidasa that showed him as a fool. Rationalists like him gave me strength to write,” said Sreekumar. According to him, ONV was a keen observer of poets of new generation and had even used new words used by them in his poetry. The event was organised by Purogamana Kala Sahitya Sangham and CSM Library.