There were only three poets in Malayalam literature who could steal the show in the early part of the 20thcentury. Ullur, Vallathol and Kumaranasan. In popularity Kumaranasan topped among the above three. Maha means great and kavi means poet. For Kumaranasan (asan means teacher) this title was awarded by The Madras University on 1922.
Even the laymen used to sing his poems, because they could understand as well as get identified with these poems. Kumaranasan’s characterization seemed more real than real ones. At that time one who would tell another that these characters were mere figments of imagination, could most probably face public wrath. “If they are not real they should be” was the public opinion.
He was born in 1873 in a remote village by name Kayikkara in Chirayinkeezhu, north of Thiruvananthapuram to Sri Perukudi Narayanan and Smt Kaali. Kumaran could gain some preliminary knowledge in Sanskrit from his father. Kumaran was the second in the six children the couple had.
Kumaran was at that time known in the pet name “Kumaru”. After the completion of his early education he worked as a teacher first then as an accountant in a shop owned by one Kocharyan Vaidyan. The young Kumaran also had a short service in a nearby Muruga temple and it is said that he got his poetic talents as a blessing from God Muruga.
While working in the shop he got engaged in poetic creations and his works appeared in magazines like “Sujana nandini” and some other ones. These were the times when great social changes were taking place in Kerala and the movement led by Sri Narayanaguru was taking the Kerala social setup by storm.
Kumaran’s father approached Sri Narayanaguru and happened to discuss about the boy. At that time Kumaran was laid up by some illness, Sri Narayanaguru visited the boy and understanding his talents Sri Narayanaguru asked Kumaran to be his disciple. The boy was taken to Bangalore for a three year course of higher studies in Sanskrit. Narayanaguru retuned to Kerala after the boy’s custody was handed over to Dr. Palpu a comrade of Sri Narayanaguru.
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