N. N. Kakkad

N. N. Kakkad
Born	(1927-07-14)July 14, 1927 Avitanallur, British India (Kerala, India)
Died	January 6, 1987(1987-01-06) (aged 59)
Occupation	Teacher, poet, essayist, translator
Notable works	Saphalmee Yathra, Pathalathinde Muzhakkam, Changatham

Narayanan Nambuthiri Kakkad (Malayalam: നാരായണൻ നമ്പൂതിരി കക്കാട്; 14 July 1927 – 6 January 1987^[1]), commonly known as N.N.Kakkad, was an Indian poet of the Malayalam language. He was a Sanskrit scholar and a broadcaster.

Biography

Kakkad was born on 14 July 1927 at Avitanallur in Kerala. His father was Kakkad Valiya Narayanan Namboothiri and mother Devaki Antharjanam. After learning Sanskrit in the traditional way he had his schooling at Samorin's High School, Kozhikode and college studies at Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur. He started his career as a school teacher and later joined the All India Radio, from which he retired as a producer. He was married to Sreedevi and had two children, Sreekumar and Shyamkumar. His house in Kozhikode was given the curious name 'Kleem', after a famous mantra, which shows the influence of the priestly ancestral tradition on him. He died of cancer on January 6, 1987.

Literary career

He started writing poetry during his school days but popular acclaim came much later in his life. He wrote his first published work Salabha Geetham in the year 1957. Like many of his contemporaries he started under the spell of the romantic school but later there was a radical shift in his style which aimed at a depiction of the complexities of the modern urbanised psyche. N.N.Kakkad is generally considered by critics as one of the pioneers of the avant-garde poetry in Malayalam.^[2] He won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and Vayalar Award in 1986 for his collection Saphalamee Yathra. Other major awards presented to him include Aashan Price, Odakuzhal Award, Cherukad award etc.His works Nadanchinthukal and Pakalaruthikku Munpu were published only after his death.

Works

• Salabha Geetham
• Pathalathinte Muzhakkam
• Vajrakundalam
• Saphalamee Yathra
• Nanni Thiruvoname Nanni
• 1963
• Itha Ashramamrugam Kollu, Kollu
• Pakalaruthikku Munpu
• Nadan Chinthukal
• Sishyanaya Guru

References