Edasseri Govindan Nair

Edasseri Govindan Nair Biography

Edasseri Govindan Nair was a prominent poet of Malayalam literature. His works include 19 books and over 300 poems in 10 anthologies, 6 books of plays and a collection of essays. Born in a high profile Nair family, he was raised in poverty and through his life struggles, he tried hard to meet two ends and keep himself away from hunger. Edassari was a great poet of Malayalam who loved literature and poems more than his life and had a hard childhood and youth life, yet he achieved a position in Malayalam literature through the experiences he accumulated through the journey of his own life.

Edasseri Govindan Nair was born in Ponnani on December 23, 1906. He was called Govindan in his younger age. He lived in his ancestral home, "Edasseri Kalathil". According to Hindu customs then, head of the family was uncle (mother’s brother) who had to take care of the family. But his uncle was not keen in those things and when Govindan lost his father at a younger age, he and his mother were pushed into a world of poverty. So he didn’t get good education as well and the sad demise of his father in 1921 brought Govindan’s education to an abrupt end at primary level itself.

He went to town of Alappuzha with his cousin called Sankarettan to get trained himself as a lawyer’s clerk. There was to be no pay during apprenticeship and he began to take private tuitions. However he saved rupees two and gave it to a person of his village to buy a blanket for his ill mother. But before the person could reach Ponnani, his mother died due to chicken pox, just one day before. His inconsolable sadness later found expression in the poem "Bimbisarante Edayan (Shepherd of King Bimbisara)".

Later Edasseri joined Vakil M. Krishna Menon as a resident assistant clerk. During this time, he got a friend named Manjoor Parameswaran Pillai, who introduced him to the world of literature. He was also working in the same office and two were madly in love with Malayalam literature. He too was a poor man. During 1929-30 Edasseri worked as clerk under vakil Thalasseri Kunhirama Menon in Kozhikode. This time he dreamt to travel abroad to Malaysia. But it couldn’t happen and he returned back to his clerical post. Along with this, he concentrated on his literary pieces becoming one of the prominent names of literature. During those days, monetary aids were not given to poets and hence, though he was rich in poetry and friends, he was a poor man in his life.

He was guided by prominent poet like Nalappat Narayana Menon and scholar Kuttikrishna Marar. Though his works are filled with temples and temple festivals, he was not a regular visitor of temples. He won Kerala Sahitya Academy award for Oru Pidi Nellikka – 1969 and Kendra Sahitya Academy award for Kavile Pattu – 1970. His works were appreciated by Government of Madras also.

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Updated: October 25, 2013