P. Kunhiraman Nair

P. Kunhiraman Nair (4 October 1905 – 27 May 1978), also known as Mahakavi P, was a renowned Malayalam poet whose works romanticised the natural beauty of his home state of Kerala in southern India and juxtaposed it with the hard realities of his life and times.
Born in Bellikoth near Kanhangad of North Malabar, P., as he is known (simply by his initial), led a Bohemian lifestyle, wandering across Kerala, living in several places, meeting their people and making them part of his life and literature. He worked as a school teacher, having taught at Koodali near Kannur and Kollengode in Palakkad district.
Poetry formed his main genre of work (it isn't exactly known how many poems he penned during his half-a-century career as many are irretrievably lost), though he has also penned stories, articles and a few plays. His autobiography, Kaviyude Kaalpaadukal (The Footprints of a Poet), is one of the celebrated works in prose in Malayalam.
The central Kerala belt of Valluvanad, known for its scenic charm and cultural vibrancy, was a major source of inspiration for the poet, who lived there for long—partly as a family man. His works are also dotted with metaphors from Kathakali, the classical dance-drama of his region.
Kunhiraman Nair was an award winner of both the Kerala Sahithya Akademi and the Kendra Sahithya Academy Award.
Mahakavi P.Kunhiraman Nair began to write poems at the age of twelve and continued to do so for the rest of his life.
He worshipped nature and travelled extensively. He is a poet who forgot to live amidst his unending journey in quest of nature and poems. He is known as a devotional poet. The subjects of his poetry include devotion, the natural beauty of Kerala, temples, deities, stories of epics, rituals and customs.
He studied at Sree Neelakanta Government Sanskrit College Pattambi and with his proficiency in Sanskrit, he initially worked at a printing press in Thrissur for a few years. Later, he published a newspaper from Kannur, before taking a teaching job and gaining the name of 'Kavimaash' (poet teacher) among children. He retired from service in 1961. He died on May 27, 1978, after a sudden bout of illness while staying in a rest house in Thiruvananthapuram. He was 72 at the time of his death.

Handwrite of P Kunhiraman Nair

Poetry

• Kaliyacchan (Oriental Dance teacher, 1954)
• Onassadya (Onam Feast, 1960)
• Pookkaalam (Spring, 1964)
• Thaamarathoniyil (In The Lotus Boat, 1966)
• Vasantholsavam (Spring Festival, 1972)
• Chilamboli (Tinkling of the Anklet Bells, 1974)
• Ratholsavam (Chariot Festival - 2 volumes, 1978)
• Thamarathen ( Honey of the Lotus, 1983)
• Mekalaeyude magal

Stories

• Indira
• Chaaithraraksha
• Nirmala
• Ramabai
• Veerapratinha

Plays

• Rangamandapam (Stage Canopy, 1956)
• Upaasana (Worship, 1958)
• Swapnasanchari (Dream Traveller )
• Poonilaavu
• Chandramandalam

Essays

• Vichaaravibhaatam
• Satyaraksha

Autobiography

• Kaviyude kalpadukal (Footprints of poet)
• Ennethirayunna njan (Me searching myself)
• Nithyakanyakaye thedi (Searching for the ever virgin)

In 2011, plans for the foundation of a memorial museum in Kanhangad were announced. The museum would house articles and the complete works of Kunhiraman Nair.

Ivan Megharoopan, is a 2012 Malayalam biographical film, written and directed by P. Balachandran and Prakash Bare on the lead role, is based on the life of poet and is particularly based on his autobiography, Kaviyude Kalpadukal. Also Kaliyachan, 2013 Malayalam film is based on his celebrated 1959 poem Kaliyachan with Manoj K. Jayan as lead.<