Edasseri Govindan Nair

• Name — Edasseri Govindan Nair • Pen Name — Edasseri • Other Names — "Shakthiyude Kavi" • Born — 23 December 1906 • Birthplace — Kuttippuram, Malabar district, Madras Presidency, British India • Died — 16 October 1974 • Place of death — Cochin, Kerala, India • Occupation — Poet, playwright • Genre — Poetry, plays • Spouse — Janaki Amma • Children — E. Harikumar, E Madhavan. • Relatives — P. Krishna Kurup (father) Kunjukutti Amma (mother)

Edasseri Govindan Nair was born on 23 December 1906 at Kuttippuram, in Malapuram district in the south Indian state of Kerala to P. Krishna Kurup and Edasseri Kunjukutti Amma in a family with poor financial means. Govindan got his family name, Edasseri, through matrilineal succession. He did not have much formal education due to the death of his father in 1921 when he was only 15 years old and started his career early as an assistant to a relative, who worked in Alappuzha. However, he compensated for the lack of formal education with hard work with voracious reading, learning Sanskrit and English on his own taking help from his friends, constantly engaging in debates on literature, criticism, science, astronomy and even astrology. He spent 7 years in Alleppey before moving to Kozhikode. In early 1930, he moved to Ponani. It was during this time that he married Janaki Amma, the wedding taking place in 1938. He continued with his learning, debates and discussions in Ponani also. Edasseri was associated with various literary and cultural forums. He sat in the general council of Kerala Sahitya Akademi, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi and Samastha Kerala Sahitya Parishad and was a member of the board of directors of the Sahithya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society. He presided Kerala Sahithya Samithi and Kendra Kala Samithi during various periods and was instrumental in founding a local library, Krishna Panikkar Vayana Sala. Edasseri's works include 19 books and over 300 poems in 10 anthologies, 6 books of plays and a collection of essays. He was among the poets who changed the romantic traits of Malayalam poetry to realism. His narrative style, as shown in his poems such as Poothapattu, Panimudakkam, Kalyana Pudava, Karutha Chettichikal and Kavile Pattu, was reported to reflect strong humanism. Govindan Nair - Janaki Amma couple had eleven children, though only eight survived infancy. He died on 16 October 1974, at the age of 67.

• Alakavali (Ornations)(അളകാവലി) -1940 • Puthankalavum Arivalum Poothappattum (പുത്തൻ കലവും അരിവാളും പൂതപ്പാട്ടും)(New Pot and Sickle) - 1951 • Laghu Ganangal (Simple Songs) - 1954 • Karutha Chettichikal (Dark Nomad Women) - 1955 • Thathwa Shastrangal Urangumbol (As Philosophies Sleep) -1961 • Kavile Pattu (Song of the Grove) - 1966 • Oru Pidi Nellikka (A handful of Gooseberries) - 1968 • Thrivikramannu Munnil (In front of Thrivikrama) - 1971 • Kunkuma Prabhatham (The Vermilion Dawn) - 1975 • Anthithiri (Ritual Wick of Dusk) – 1977 • Edasseriyude Sampoorna Kavithakal (Complete Poetic Works of Edasseri) - 1988 • Malayalathinte Priya Kavithakal (Endearing poems of Malayalam) - 2013.

• Noolamala (The Entanglement) -1947 • Koottu Krishi (Co-operative Farming) - 1950 • Kaliyum Chiriyum (Fun and Laughter) - One-act plays- 1954 • Ennichutta Appam (Limited Means) - One-act plays- 1957 • Chaliyathi (The Weaver Woman) - One-act plays- 1960 • Njediyil Padaratha Mulla (Jasmine Vine that does not climb the prop) - 1964 • Jarasandhante Puthri (Daughter of Jarasandhan) - Radio Play- 1970s • Khatolkachan 1970s • Edasseriyude Naadakangal - 2001

• Edasseriyude Prabandhangal (Essays of Edasseri) - 1988 • Edasseriyude Cherukathakal (Short stories of Edasseri) – 2015

• Edasseri - Navabhavukathwathinte Kavi (Literary criticism by Prof. P. Meerakutty) • Edasseri Govindan Nair (book in English on the poet by M. Leelavathi) • Edasseriyude Kavyalokam (book on Edasseri poems by K. P. Saraschandran) • Itha Oru Kavi (essays on Edasseri by eminent writers) • Edasserikkavitha - Shilpavicharam by K. P. Mohanan • Edasserikkavitha - a collection of essays by various writers compiled by Kavadayar Ramachandran • Edasseri Ninavil Varumpol - (Essays on Edasseri) • Edasserikkavitha (Literary criticism by Melath Chandrasekharan) • Edasserikavithayile Premeyaghatana (Literary criticism by Chathanath Achuthanunni)