Malayalam poet, Jnanpith award winner Akkitham dies at 94

Thrissur: Renowned Malayalam poet and Jnanpith award winner Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri, who is said to have heralded modernism in Malayalam poetry, died at a private hospital here on Thursday.

He was 94. A widower, the Mahakavi (great poet), as he was known, leaves two sons and four daughters. Hospital sources said he was admitted for age related ailments a couple of days ago and the end came at 8.10 am. Popularly known as Akkitham, his 'IrupathamNoottandinteIthihasam' (Epic of the 20th Century) is considered as one of the first truly modernist poems in Malayalam literature.

A popular verse- 'Velichamdukhamanunni, thamasallosukhapradam', which is roughly translated as "light brings sorrow, my child, darkness is bliss" is like a proverb for Keralites. It is also interpreted as "worldly knowledge is pain my child, ignorance is bliss." He penned around 45 books, comprising poetry anthologies, plays and short stories including 'Balidarsanam' (The Vision of Bali), 'Arangettam', 'NimishaKshetram', 'IdinjuPolinjaLokam', 'Amrita Ghatika', and 'Kalikkottilil' and many more. Akkitham had bagged the Jnanpith award, the highest literary award, in 2019 and is the sixth writer to bring the honour for Malayalam literature. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the award was presented to him last month at a function at his home in Kumaranalloor in Palakkad district.