PALAKKAD: It was 11.30am and, as usual, 93-year-old Akkitham Achuthan Namboodiri, clad in a white ‘mundu’ and a vest with a towel thrown over the shoulder, was resting at his home at Kumaranellur in Palakkad. The mobile rang and it was Prathibha Ray, novelist and chairperson of the Jnanpith Selection Board at the other end, conveying the news that Malayalam’s celebrated writer has been selected for the coveted award.
“He was calm and silent. He did not show any emotion. He listened to the news attentively and answered in the affirmative,” said his son Narayanan. “There are many greater poets in Malayalam than me. Mahakavi Edassery, Vylopilly and V T Bhattathiripad are all greater than me. Edassery had taught me that literature is an investigation into the source of misery and tears in life. But I could get more fame than them, the only reason for which is the longevity of my life,” Mahakavi Akkitham stated later in the day.
“My writings have always been centred around Indian culture. Therefore, all those who have been part of our culture are ecstatic at me getting the award,” he added. “The source of the strength of my poems was derived from my late wife, Sreedevi. (She died six months ago). I am at a loss of words to describe her sacrifice and toil. My grief is that she is not there at this great hour of mine. I was a person who wrote during my travels through my native village of Ponnani.
There were many writers who observed these areas and wrote their own pieces like Leelavathy teacher, Shankunni Nair, Shankaran, Achuthanunni, Athmaraman and Vasanthan -- the list goes on. At this time, they will be rejoicing more than me,” said Akkitham. “Similarly, there were many others who worked tirelessly to translate my little works into other languages. I will not forget Chauhan, Arsoo, Hariharan Unnithan and Panicker at this incredible moment. I don’t nurse the opinion that all what I have written were correct. There may be mistakes.”
“The sleepy village of Kumaranellur located on the Palakkad-Malappuram border now boasts of two of the six Jnanpith award winners from Kerala -- M T Vasudevan Nair and Akkitham Achuthan Namboodiri. Akkitham had put in a great effort for the cause of Bharathapuzha (Nila). It was the poet who suggested the Bharathapuzha Parikrama campaign,” said Vipin Koodiyadath, general secretary of the Nila Vichara Vedi.
Culture Minister A K Balan called up Akkitham and said it was a proud moment for Kerala. He said the state government had recommended Akkitham for the Padma Shri which was conferred on him by the Centre in 2017. The very next year, the state also recommended him for Padma Bhushan but he was not selected. Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan and V T Balram also visited Akkitham’s house around 4pm.
I am happy that Akkitham received the Jnanpith Award, though he deserved it long ago. The entire Malayalam cultural field is extremely happy with the recognition he received at the age of 93. My acquaintance with Akkitham dates back to my school days. He was my senior and from then itself he had shown great interest in writing poems. From then till now, I have been following his works very keenly.- M T Vasudevan Nair
Akkitham’s well-known works
Akkithathinte Thiranjedutha Kavithakal (selected poems): 1985
Sparsamanikal (collection of poems): 1991
Balidarsanam (narrative poem): 1970
Irupatham Noottandinte Ithihasam (narrative poem): 1952
Anaswarante Ganam
Idinjupolinja Lokam
(collection of poems): 1961
Vennakkalinte Kadha (collection of poems): 1961
Dharmasooryan (narrative poem): 1998
Desa Sevika (story): 1947
Akkitham Kavithakal
(complete poems): 2002
Anthimahakalam (collection of poems): 2007
Awards
Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award: 1972
Odakkuzhal Award: 1973
Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award: 1973
Asan Award: 1994
Vallathol Award: 1996
Kerala Sahitya Academy Award: 1998
Ezhuthachan Puraskaram (Kerala Government): 2007
Vayalar Award: 2012
Padma Shri: 2017
Previous Jnanpith winners from Kerala
G Sankara Kurup (1965)
S K Pottekkatt (1980)
Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai (1984)
M T Vasudevan Nair (1995)
O N V Kurup (2007)