Balamani Amma
{{short description|Indian poet (1909–2004)}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Balamani Amma
| image =
| caption =
| pseudonym =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1909|07|19}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2004|09|29|1909|07|19}}
| birth_place = Punnayurkulam, Ponnani taluk, Malabar District, Madras Presidency, British India
(Now in Thrissur)
| occupation = Poet
| death_place = Kochi, Kerala, India
| genre = Poetry
| subject =
| movement =
| spouse = V. M. Nair
| children = Kamala Surayya, Sulochana, Mohandas, Shyam Sunder
| awards = Padma Bhushan, Sahitya Akademi Award, Saraswati Samman, Asan Prize, Ezhuthachan Award
| website =
}}
Nalapat Balamani Amma (19 July 1909 – 29 September 2004) was an Indian poet who wrote in Malayalam. Amma (Mother), Muthassi (Grandmother), and Mazhuvinte Katha (The story of the Axe) are some of her well-known works.{{cite book|last=George|first=K. M.|author-link=K. M. George (writer)|title=Western influence on Malayalam language and literature|year=1998|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-260-0413-3|pages=132|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MZqqyxVkufQC}} She was a recipient of many awards and honours, including the Padma Bhushan,{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |title=Padma Awards |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |date=2015 |access-date=21 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=15 October 2015 |df=dmy }} Saraswati Samman, Sahitya Akademi Award, and Ezhuthachan Award.{{cite web|title=Literary Awards |url=http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/awards.htm |publisher=Government of Kerala |access-date=13 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070524212356/http://www.prd.kerala.gov.in/awards.htm |archive-date=24 May 2007 }} She was the mother of writer Kamala Das, also known as Madhavikutty.{{cite book|last=Weisbord|first=Merrily|title=The Love Queen of Malabar: Memoir of a Friendship with Kamala Das|year=2010|publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press|isbn=978-0-7735-3791-0|url=https://archive.org/details/lovequeenofmalab0000weis|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/lovequeenofmalab0000weis/page/116 116]|quote=balamani amma.}}
Biography
Balamani Amma was born on 19 July 1909 to Chittanjoor Kunhunni Raja and Nalapat Kochukutti amma at Nalappat, her ancestral home in Punnayurkulam, Ponnani taluk, Malabar District, British India. Balamani got her family name, Nalapat, through matrilineal succession. She had no formal education, and the tutelage under her maternal uncle and his collection of books helped her become a poet.{{cite news |last1=Jadia |first1=Varun |title=This List of India's Most Gifted Women Poets Is Sure to Bring Some Enchantment in Your Life |url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/55708/women-poets-india-list-poetry/ |access-date=12 July 2021 |work=The Better India |date=May 29, 2016}} She was influenced by Nalapat Narayana Menon and the poet Vallathol Narayana Menon.{{cite web|last=Azheekode |first=Sukumar |author-link=Sukumar Azhikode |title=Balamaniamma |url=http://www.enmalayalam.com/home/en/topic/column/2208 |access-date=13 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502005127/http://www.enmalayalam.com/home/en/topic/column/2208 |archive-date=2 May 2014|df=dmy}}
At age 19, Amma married V. M. Nair, who became the managing director and managing editor of Mathrubhumi, a widely circulated Malayalam newspaper,{{cite news |last1=TNN |title=Kamala Das passes away |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Kamala-Das-passes-away/articleshow/4599921.cms |access-date=12 July 2021 |work=Times of India |date=June 1, 2009}} and later an executive at an automobile company.{{cite news |last1=Fox |first1=Margalit |title=Kamala Das, Indian Poet and Memoirist, Dies at 75 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/books/14das.html |access-date=12 July 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=June 13, 2009}} She left for Kolkata after her marriage to live with her husband.{{Cite web |title=Balamani Amma |url=https://www.veethi.com/india-people/balamani_amma-profile-2225-25.htm |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=veethi.com}} V. M. Nair died in 1977.
Amma was the mother of writer Kamala Surayya, (also known as Kamala Das), who translated one of her mother's poems, "The Pen", which describes the loneliness of a mother. Her other children include sons Mohandas, Shyam Sunder, and daughter Sulochana.
Amma died on 29 September 2004 after five years of Alzheimer's disease.{{cite news|title=Balamani Amma no more|url=https://www.indianexpress.com/oldStory/56082/|access-date=July 12, 2021|newspaper=Indian Express|date=30 September 2004}} Her cremation was attended with full state honours.{{cite news |title=Kerala bids farewell to Balamani Amma |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/Kerala-bids-farewell-to-Balamani-Amma/articleshow/869107.cms |access-date=12 July 2021 |work=Times of India |agency=PTI |date=September 30, 2004}}
Poetry
Balamani Amma published more than 20 anthologies of poems, several prose works, and translations. Her first poem "Kooppukai" was published in 1930. Her first recognition came when she received the Sahithya Nipuna Puraskaram, an award from Parikshith Thampuran, former ruler of Kingdom of Cochin. Nivedyam is the collection of poems of Balamani Amma from 1959 to 1986. Lokantharangalil is an elegy on the death of the poet Nalapat Narayana Menon.{{cite news|title=A prolific writer|url=http://hindu.com/2004/09/30/stories/2004093011150400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041119111230/http://www.hindu.com/2004/09/30/stories/2004093011150400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 November 2004|access-date=13 November 2011|newspaper=The Hindu|date=30 September 2004}}
=Collections of poems=
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
- Kudumbini (1936)
- Dharmamargathil (1938)
- Sthree Hridayam (1939)
- Prabhankuram (1942)
- Bhavanayil (1942)
- Oonjalinmel (1946)
- Kalikkotta (1949)
- Velichathil (1951)
- Avar Paadunnu (1952)
- Pranamam (1954)
- Lokantharangalil (1955)
- Sopanam (1958)
- Muthassi (1962)
- Mazhuvinte Katha (1966)
- Ambalathilekku (1967)
- Nagarathil (1968)
- Veyilaarumbol (1971)
- Amruthamgamaya (1978)
- ’’Sahapadikal’’(1979)
- Sandhya (1982)
- Nivedyam (1987)
- Mathruhridayam (1988)
- To My Daughter (Malayalam)
- Kulakkadavil
- Mahavira
{{div col end}}
Awards and recognition
Her poetry earned her the titles of Amma (mother) and Muthassi (grandmother) of Malayalam poetry.{{cite web|title=Balamaniamma|url=http://www.manoramaonline.com/advt//Lifestyle/Poetry_Day/memory_06.htm|publisher=Malayala Manorama|language=ml|access-date=20 November 2011|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130128032442/http://www.manoramaonline.com/advt//Lifestyle/Poetry_Day/memory_06.htm|archive-date=28 January 2013|url-status=dead}} While delivering the Balamaniyamma remembrance speech at the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri, described her as the "prophet of human glory" and said that her poetry had been an inspiration to him.{{cite news|title=Balamaniyamma remembered|url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/10/08/stories/2004100811520400.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041031205159/http://www.hindu.com/2004/10/08/stories/2004100811520400.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 October 2004|access-date=20 November 2011|newspaper=The Hindu|date=8 October 2004}} Writer and critic M. N. Karassery considered her a Gandhian, and believed her works should be revisited when people consider Nathuram Godse to represent Indian nationalism.
She received many literary honours and awards, including the Kerala Sahithya Akademi Award for Muthassi (1963), Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for Muthassi (1965), Asan Prize (1989), Vallathol Award (1993), Lalithambika Antharjanam Award (1993), Saraswati Samman for Nivedyam (1995), Ezhuthachan Award (1995), and N. V. Krishna Warrier Award (1997). She was also a recipient of India's third highest civilian honour, the Padma Bhushan, in 1987.{{cite web|title=Padma Bhushan Awardees|url=http://india.gov.in/myindia/padmabhushan_awards_list1.php?start=510|publisher=Government of India|access-date=13 November 2011}}
She is often regarded as the ‘Mathruthwathinte Kavi’ (poetess of motherhood’ or ‘Muttassi’ (grandmother), due to her fondness for children. {{Cite web |last=BU |first=Prathiksha |date=2021-07-19 |title=Nalapat Balamani Amma: Celebrate The Rebel Poet Of 20th Century! |url=https://www.womensweb.in/2021/07/poet-nalapat-balamani-amma-mother-of-kamala-das-july21wk3sr/ |access-date=2023-09-06 |website=Women's Web |language=en}}
Legacy
The Kochi International Book Festival Committee created the Balamani Amma Award, with a cash award for writers.{{cite news |date=December 6, 2019 |title=Balamani Amma Award presented to Padmanabhan |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/balamani-amma-award-presented-to-padmanabhan/article30199597.ece |access-date=12 July 2021 |work=The Hindu}}{{cite news |last1=Express News Service |title=Balamani Amma award presented to Mohanavarma |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2017/dec/06/balamani-amma-award-presented-to-mohanavarma-1719397.html |access-date=12 July 2021 |work=The New Indian Express |date=December 6, 2017}}
On 19 July 2022, Google honoured Amma with a Google Doodle on her birth anniversary.{{cite news |title=Balamani Amma: Google Doodle celebrates Malayalam poet's 113th birth anniversary |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-in-india/balamani-amma-google-doodle-malayalam-poet-8037907/lite/ |work=The Indian Express |date=19 July 2022 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Google doodle celebrates Balamani Amma's 113th birth anniversary |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/google-doodle-celebrates-grandmother-of-malayalam-literature-balamani-ammas-113th-birth-anniversary/article65657083.ece |access-date=19 July 2022 |work=The Hindu |date=July 19, 2022}} She has been referred to as "the grandmother of Malayalam literature".
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons}}
{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 1980–89}}
{{Sahitya Akademi Award For Malayalam}}
{{SahityaAkademiFellowship}}
{{Ezhuthachan Puraskaram}}
{{Padma Award winners of Kerala}}
{{Kerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Amma, Balamani}}
Category:Writers from Thrissur district
Category:Women writers from Kerala
Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in literature & education
Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Malayalam
Category:Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award
Category:Recipients of the Saraswati Samman Award
Category:Recipients of the Ezhuthachan Award
Category:Deaths from Alzheimer's disease in India
Category:20th-century Indian poets