Vallathol Narayana Menon, Poet
Poet

Vallathol Narayana Menon

Born 16 October 1878 · Kerala — Died 13 March 1958

Founded Kerala Kalamandalam to revive and promote the traditional dance form Kathakali.

Vallathol Narayana Menon was a Malayalam poet and one of the triumvirate of modern Malayalam poetry, along with Asan and Ulloor. The honorific Mahakavi was applied to him in 1913 after the publication of his Mahakavya Chitrayogam. He was a nationalist poet and wrote a series of poems on various aspects of the Indian freedom movement. He founded the Kerala Kalamandalam and is credited with revitalising the traditional Keralite dance form known as Kathakali.

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A detail that
surprised us

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Vallathol Narayana Menon composed the poem 'Badhira Vilapam' in 1910, reflecting his personal struggle with hearing loss during his tenure at the Kalpadrumam Press in Thrissur.

The Story

1
In 1913, Vallathol Narayana Menon earned the title Mahakavi after publishing his Mahakavya 'Chitrayogam', a work divided into 18 sargas based on the story of Chandrasena and Taravali from Kathasaritsagara.
2
🌟 Born in 1878 in Chennara, Malappuram, Kerala, Vallathol never had formal schooling but mastered Sanskrit under his uncle Ramanunni Menon and others, which shaped his early literary and medical knowledge.
3Vallathol's hearing began to fail between 1905 and 1910 while managing the Kalpadrumam Press in Thrissur, a challenge that inspired his 1910 poem 'Badhira Vilapam' (A Deaf Man's Lament).
4🌿 In 1917, Vallathol published the first volume of his eleven-volume collection 'Sahitya Manjari', which combined Sanskrit and Dravidian meters, marking a shift toward nationalist and romantic themes in Malayalam poetry.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Sahitya Akademi Fellowship

🔍 One thing most people don't know

“

In 1913, Vallathol received the honorific Mahakavi after his epic 'Chitrayogam' adhered strictly to traditional Mahakavya conventions, including division into 18 sargas, showcasing his mastery of classical Sanskrit poetic structure.

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Through the Years

1 photograph from the archives
Vallathol Narayana Menon standing with Bharatha Vilasam Sabha members in 1909
Vallathol Narayana Menon standing with Bharatha Vilasam Sabha members in 1909
1909

🗓️ A Life in Moments

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Birth
Birth in Chennara, Malappuram
Vallathol Narayana Menon was born to Kadungotte Mallisseri Damodaran Elayathu and Kuttipparu Amma in Kerala's Malappuram district.
1878
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Career
Started managing Kalpadrumam Press
Vallathol moved to Thrissur and worked as manager of the Kalpadrumam Press, where his hearing began to deteriorate.
1905
📖
Publication
Published 'Badhira Vilapam'
Vallathol published 'Badhira Vilapam' (A Deaf Man’s Lament), a poem dealing with his personal experience of hearing loss.
1910
🏅
Award
Awarded title Mahakavi
After publishing 'Chitrayogam', Vallathol earned the honorific Mahakavi, marking his status in Malayalam literature.
1913
📖
Publication
Published first volume of 'Sahitya Manjari'
His eleven-volume anthology 'Sahitya Manjari' began publication, blending classical and nationalist themes in Malayalam poetry.
1917
📖
Publication
Published 'Magdalana Mariam'
Vallathol released his khanda kavya on Mary Magdalene, pioneering biblical themes in Malayalam literature.
1921
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Career
Founded Kerala Kalamandalam
Vallathol established Kerala Kalamandalam in Thrissur to revive and institutionalize the traditional Kathakali dance form.
1930
🕊️
Death
Death
Vallathol Narayana Menon passed away, leaving a lasting legacy in Malayalam literature and Kerala's cultural heritage.
1958
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
🔍LESSER KNOWN

Despite never receiving formal education, Vallathol was trained in Sanskrit, philosophy, logic, and even Ayurvedic medical texts like Ashtanga Hridayam, assisting his uncle in medical practice during his youth.

02 / 04
👤PERSONAL

Vallathol's hearing impairment began during his work at the Kalpadrumam Press (1905–1910), which deeply influenced his 1910 poem 'Badhira Vilapam' (A Deaf Man’s Lament), a rare poetic exploration of disability at that time.

03 / 04
💡SURPRISING

His khanda kavya 'Magdalana Mariam' (1921) was notable for introducing biblical themes into Malayalam poetry, blending Western religious narratives with Indian poetic forms.

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🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
വള്ളത്തോളിൻ്റെ വീട്ടിൽ സിപിഎം ഗുണ്ടായിസം | Vallathol Narayana Menon | Poet |CPM |CPIM |Bharath Live
More from this archive
വള്ളത്തോളിൻ്റെ വീട്ടിൽ സിപിഎം ഗുണ്ടായിസം | Vallathol Narayana Menon | Poet |CPM |CPIM |Bharath Live
01
വള്ളത്തോളിൻ്റെ വീട്ടിൽ സിപിഎം ഗുണ്ടായിസം | Vallathol Narayana Menon | Poet |CPM |CPIM |Bharath Live
ASBM MBA : Indian Ethos by Sneha TV (A Lesson from My master - Vallathol Narayana Menon)
02
ASBM MBA : Indian Ethos by Sneha TV (A Lesson from My master - Vallathol Narayana Menon)

🌱 What changed because of them

By founding Kerala Kalamandalam in 1930, Vallathol revived the endangered Kathakali art form, ensuring its survival and institutional support. His poetic works, especially 'Sahitya Manjari', bridged classical Sanskrit traditions with nationalist ideals, influencing Malayalam literature to embrace both cultural heritage and modern social themes. His integration of freedom movement motifs into poetry inspired a generation of writers and activists in Kerala.

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