VISHNU NARAYANAN NAMBOODIRI, SCORPIO *** [poetry books to read .txt] 📗

Table of Contents

 

Dedication

 

Foreword :  KL Sreekrishna Das 

 

The Man &  The Poet 

 

Career Profile 

 

Poet with a Difference 

 

Friend of Contraversies 

 

His Philosophy of Life 

 

About the Author 

 

Dedication

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This brief biography of Vishnu Narayanan Namboodiri 

 

is dedicated  to 

 

 my friend and guide

 

KL Sreekrishna Das  IIS 

 

 

Foreword

 

 

 

 

                                             KL  Sreekrishna Das 

 

 

 Glimpses of a Genius 

 

Vishnu Narayanan Namboodiri is a shining symbol of pure poetry. The man and the poet are inseparable. His Brahmin background has enabled him to make an in depth study of Sanskrit language and literature at a very early age. Being an English Professor, he could delve deep into the rich realms of Western culture and literature. Thus, in his poetry, we come across a charming chemical combination of the myths and legends of Indian literature mingled with the mesmerizing modern trends of Western culture. He does not belong to any particular group. He walks alone and sings alone. Even though he is a great admirer of Vyloppilly Sreedhara Menon, he does not imitate him. When we go through his poems, we feel an undercurrent of divine dispensation, which prompts him to write these exquisite, enchanting, enthralling and above all, ennobling poems. And that is why he is different from all other poets. His relentless struggle against some of the age old and outdated religious practices had invited much criticism and appreciation. He received bouquets and brickbats with equal ease.

 

Unfortunately, as in the case of many other great persons, there is not even a single biography of this great poet, who is averse to self publicity. It is this vacuum which is being filled up by Col GPVNair, who has written a brilliant and beautiful biography of Vishnunarayanan Namboodiri. Col Nair has taken great pains to collect all available material on this great poet, by contacting his admirers, well wishers and critics and interviewing the poet himself many a times. This most authentic biography needs no introduction , as it explains in detail all the aspects of the poet’s life- his parents , early childhood, education, initiation into the field of poetry, profession, his family, his views on literature and social issues etc. In short this is an excellent example of an ideal biography. I appreciate the great work done by Col GPVNair and wish him well in all his future ventures.

 

 Trivandrum 

 24 Jan 2014 

                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                               

 

 

 

 

The Man & The Poet

 

 

 

Vishnu Naryanan Namboodiri

 

 

 

Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow;

Don't walk behind me, I may not lead

Walk beside me, and just be my friend.  

 

Albert Camus

 

 

 

“ Poetry is something that should create tranquillity in human mind and thereby lead one to ‘Karma’. Anything that evokes mental tumult and agony is not poetry,” says Vishnu Narayanan Namboodiri.

 

When you walk along the pavement of ever busy MG Road in Trivandrum city, if you notice someone clad in greyish khadi kurta and white dhoti, at times adjusting the black rimmed specs which vainly try to mask those radiant eyes, carrying a satchel on his left shoulder, steadying up his thick hair shining white as the Siachen glacier with his right hand, walking slowly on hard chappals with that charming smile to anyone who greets him, then you have not missed him! He is Vishnu Naryanan Namboodiri, one of the widely acclaimed poets of contemporary Malayalam literature; often fondly described as a friend of controversies, though not over his poetry!

Career Profile

 

 

Vishnu Narayanan Namboodiri hails from a renowned Namboodiri family of Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta District, Kerala. Born on 02 June 1939 as the only child of late Vishnu Namboodiri and late Aditi Antharjanam of Sheeravalli Illam, situated on the banks of one of the small rivulets joining Pampa, he had his schooling in the Prince Marthanda Varma High School, Thiruvalla. Having been born and brought up in the traditional Namboodiri atmosphere, his young mind had imbibed Vedic and religious cultures in the childhood itself from his father and grand father. Like other Brahmin boys he had his formal initiation into the Vedic learning at the tender age of eight. But it was his father’s uncle, Dwivedi Vishnu Sharma, an old man who had travelled the length and breadth of India and an acknowledged scholar in Sanskrit and the Vedas in those days, who gave him an in-depth insight into the Vedic Learning. In fact, Vishnu respectfully acknowledges him as his Guru. He had his first lessons in Sanskrit from his grandfather. His distinctly progressive and rational views on social customs and religious boundaries that were prevalent at those times profoundly inspired the young mind, which later on grew in stature and enriched the Malayalam literature with 13 volumes of poetry, three books on literary criticism, four anthologies and three translations.

 

Vishnu, as he is affectionately called in the literary circles, was a science student in his college days and graduated in Physics from St Berchmans College, Changanacherry in 1958. He studied Hindi as his second Language. One of the most revered English professors of at that time, Prof C A Sheppard Head of English Department had a great liking for Vishnu for his uncanny ability to memorise and recite Vedic and Sanskrit verses in perfection. It was Prof Sheppard who initiated Vishnu into serious learning of English and Western literature. However, after graduation for the next two years Vishnu could not pursue his college education and instead he worked as a science teacher in his alma mater, the Prince Marthanda Varma High School before he joined college again for his post graduation in English literature in 1960. He fondly remembers that it was Prof Sheppard who secured him admission to the postgraduate course in Devagiri College, Calicut. He says with great pride and satisfaction clearly visible in those radiant eyes that it was a great experience and good fortune for him to have been the disciple of Dr Ashramam Sivramasubramanya Iyer in Devagiri College. Dr Iyer had the distinction of being the first Keralite who secured a PhD in English from the University of London. Besides he was a well-known Sanskrit scholar. Vishnu recollects that he was one among the last batch of students that Dr Iyer had in his illustrious career as a teacher spanning over 45 years. World-renowned cartoonist of yester years Cartoonist Shankar was in the first batch of postgraduate students Dr Iyer had and Shri KR Narayanan, former President of India, was another of his students in one of the later batches some time in the middle of his illustrious career. In 1962 Vishnu came out with his postgraduate degree in English literature with flying colours topping the list.

 

Vishnu Narayanan Namboodiri started his professional career as a Lecturer in English in Malabar Christian College, Calicut, just after his post graduation. After a long and distinguished career he retired from government service as Professor and Head of the Department of English, University College, Trivandrum in1994. Apart from teaching in colleges he had also worked as a Research officer at the Kerala State Language Institute, and as the editor of Granthalokam, the famous Malayalam literary magazine, respectively for three years each. Vishnu had also been actively associated with Kerala Sahitya Samithy, Prakrthi Smarakshana Samithi, Kerala Sahitya Akademi and Kerala Kalamandalam in different capacities. After retirement, from 1994 to1997 he voluntarily took up the assignment as the head priest of the Sree Vallabha Temple, Thiruvalla, which was his family right; none-too easy an assignment for a person of his stature.

 

He is married to Smt Savithri Antharjanam of Mattathu Vedirama Illam, and is blessed with two daughters and three grand children. He resides at Sreevalli, Sastha Gardens, Thycadu, Trivandrum. His gracious presence is a regular feature in most of the social and cultural events in the capital.