Google Doodle is celebrating the birth anniversary of Balamani Amma, who is a revered and celebrated Indian poet who made waves in the art and culture world of the country. Balamani Amma was born on July 19, over a century ago.
On her birth anniversary today, Google Doodle is celebrating the life and works of Balamani Amma through a colourful and whimsical illustration.
Here is all you need to know about Balamani Amma –
Nalapat Balamani Amma was born on July 19, 1909 in Punnayurkullam, Ponnani Taluk, Malabar district in British India. Even though she went on to become a celebrated poet later in life, she had little to no formal education as a child.
She later got tutored by her maternal uncle and his collection of varied books helped her gain knowledge and become a poet. Balamani Amma later went on to become one of the most celebrated poets in the world and drew her inspiration from Nalapat Narayana Menon and the poet Vallathol Narayana Menon.
Balamani Amma wrote her poems in Malayalam, and her works were celebrated all across south India. Some of her most famous and moving poems are Amma (Mother), Muthassi (Grandmother), and Mazhuvinte Katha (The story of the Axe).
Amma’s son, Kamala Surayya, who later went on to become a writer, translated one of her mother's poems, "The Pen", which had some moving lines describing the pain of a mother.
Nalapat Balamani Amma was the recipient of many awards throughout her lifetime, gaining recognition after receiving the Sahithya Nipuna Puraskaram. She also received the Padma Bhushan, which is the third-highest civilian honour in India.
After an accomplished and vast career as a poet and a writer, Balamani Amma passes away on September 29, 2004, after battling Alzheimer’s disease for five years. Her cremation was attended with full state honours.
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