Velutheri Kesavan Vaidyar
Velutheri Kesavan Vaidyar(1858–1896) was a Malayalam poet; Sanskrit scholar and Ayurveda physician from the state of Kerala, India. He was born as second child among four children born to Eeshwaran Padmanabhan of Velutheri House in Thottam and wife, Azhaki Amma of Thalathoppu House in Karinkulam, an Ezhava family resident in Thottam, Manacaud in Thiruvananthapuram, South Travancore. He is associated with the Venmani School of Malayalam Literature. Kesavan was schoolmate; friend and follower of Sree Narayana Guru. Known for some of the finest; critically reviewed and extremely appreciated poetry in Malayalam in the later half of the 19th century. His literary works within the short span of his life ranged from original poetry to adaptations and translations from prominent Sanskrit pieces and even attakkathas and prose like academic texts on grammar in Malayalam. Died too early at the age of 38 on October 5, 1896 (Kanni 21, Kollavarsham 1072), Velutheri Kesavan Vaidyar left a glittering mark in the history of Malayalam poetry prior to the era of the modern poets.
Birth and family
Kesavan was born second child to Eeshwaran Padmanabhan of Velutheri House in Thottam, and Azhaki Amma of Thalathoppu House in Karinkulam. Velutheri House is situated in a serene residential locality named Thottam in Manacaud, a place close to Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Kesavan got married to Lekshmi Amma of Karickal family at the age of 29.
Biography - 'Randu Vidwat Kavikal - Volume 1'
Mahopadhyaaya Vidwan Kunju Krishnan had authored and published a two-volume biographical work titled 'Vismritharaya Randu Vidwat Kavikal (Velutheriyum Perunnelliyum)' on the life and work of Velutheriyil Kesavan Vaidyar and his equally eminent contemporary; scholar; poet and dear friend Perunnelli Krishnan Vaidyar. 'Vismritharaya Randu Vidwat Kavikal (Velutheriyum Perunnelliyum) - 1', the biography of Velutheriyil Kesavan Vaidyar was published in the year 1951 and 'Randu Vidwat Kavikal Volume-2', the biography of Perunnelli Krishnan Vaidyar was published in the year 1975 which was almost twenty five years after the former was published. Velutheri Kesavan Vaidyar and Perunnelli Krishnan Vaidyar – The duo is considered to be the unsung heroes and two short-lived shooting stars in the history of Malayalam literature.
Major Literary Works
Balisugreeva Sambhavam (Vanchippattu/Malayalam poetry composed in the Dravidian metre Nathonnata) Abhijnana Shakunthalam (Malayalam Translation) Ashtangahridayam (Malayalam Translation) Hithopadesam (Malayalam Translation) Sundopasundayudham (Aattakkatha/Libretto for Kathakali) Prasannaraghavam (Malayalam Translation) Sourapuranam (Malayalam Translation) Arthalankara Manipravalam (Alankarashastra adaptation in Malayalam) Balapaddhamrutham (Grammar) Vanchiraja Vamshacharitham (Epic Poem in Sanskrit) Durganandavilasom (Sanskrit Devotional Poetry)