Vennikkulam Gopalakkurupp
Vennikkulam Gopalakkurupp wrote the famous and award winning poem Manikyaveena. He was a Malayalam poet, playwright, translator, lexicographer, and story writer. He was born in Cherukattumath house in Tiruvalla taluk of Pathanamthitta district in Kerala. His parents were Padmanabhakurup and mother Lakshmi Kuttyamma.
Gopalakkurupp became a primary school teacher in 1917. Passed the Malayalam main exam while working. In 1918, he joined Mapila English Medium School as a Malayalam teacher. He was a teacher here for a long time. In 1949 he got a job in Thiruvananthapuram Hasta Likhita Library. He worked as editor of Bhasha Quarterly. Sahadharmini Mepral Mangatuveetil Madhavipillai .
Literature attracted Gopalakkurupp at an early age and he became the author of a number of poetry anthologies, besides other works, and he translated Abhijnana Shakuntalam, Tulsi Ramayana, Tirukkuṛaḷ, the poems of Subramania Bharati and two cantos of The Light of Asia of Edwin Arnold into Malayalam. He also contributed in the preparation of a dictionary, Kairali Kosham.
Works of Vennikkulam Gopalakkurupp
Amritabhishekam, Kadalivanam, Keralashri, Jagatsamaksha, Pushpavarshti, Ponnambalamedu, Shakuntala, Manasputri, Rogini, Vasantotsavam, Mother of Light, Vellithalam, Sarovaram, Soundarya Puja, Kamasurabhi, Manivilak, Svarna Sandhya, Theerthadhara, (poet) Thala), Kalidasa's Kanmani,
Drama
Priyamvada , Niljalatili Padma, Vijayarudra
Novels
Punyapurushan, Vanjirajeshwari, Atmakatha (Biography) Kathanakshatras, Simhamallan, Bharata Tales (Children's Literature) Tacholi Othenan (Folktale)
Dictionary
Kairalikosam
Translation
Thirukkural, Poems of Tulasidasa Ramayana, Siddhartha Charitam
Awards and Honours
Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award - 1966 (Manikyaveena)
Central Sahitya Akademi Award - 1974 (Kamasurabhi)
Odakuzhal Award - 1969 (Tulasidasa Ramayana)
He has been honored as a Sahitya Punan from the Maharaja of Kochi and Sahitya Kalanidhi of the Kerala Hindi Prachar Sabha
About poem
Vennikkulam Gopalakkurupp's Manikyaveena as originally written in Malayalam can be found in this site-
https://malayalamkavithakal.com/manikyaveena-vennikkulam-gopalakkurupp/
He has been honored as a Sahitya Punan from the Maharaja of Kochi and Sahitya Kalanidhi of the Kerala Hindi Prachar Sabha
About poem
Vennikkulam Gopalakkurupp's Manikyaveena as originally written in Malayalam can be found in this site-
https://malayalamkavithakal.com/manikyaveena-vennikkulam-gopalakkurupp/
The poem Manikyaveena indicates the glory and beauty of malayalam language
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Translated
Salutations Salutations !Warmethum Dravida-
Nandini-grown language,
Salutations Salutations ! ravishing to the soul
language mixed with sandalwood,
Is not the life-changing virtue
of the divine language, which is filled with
the nectar of God's language ( sanskrit )even
after being refreshed by life?
Do you have a beautiful language from you in a beautiful style?
When I listen to your songs,
the rhythm beats .
The leaves and branches of the coconut groves dance
the rhythm beats .
The leaves and branches of the coconut groves dance
according to the tunes of the language.
Even the waves of the ocean play along
Even the waves of the ocean play along
to the rhythm of hearing Malayalam language.
Tval karmamandalam is not wide,
Tval karmamandalam is not wide,
but may be a small circle;
But why not reach your fame?
SreeShankaracharya's national language!
Fragrance in the air -
Why more musk?
Malayalam like a bouquet , your flower-bed,
how many springs have not come? How many quills ( poets) have not been plucked by
one who does not touch the heart ?
How many heresies are not cut off the flowers?
Amma madhumasa
vibhuti all the Ramritacherta in you?
Again and again and again -
Mairam Vattamishreevikasam. We
see you as a wedding investment -
Kamasurabhi.
Blessed is the imagination that worships Thee, and
vain is the tongue that praises Thee.
It is enough to hear the saying of Kerala,
the harvest season of Koritharipp.
Ojassin Kathale, for you -
Koro Hridayuvumodi.
Let me show you everything, bright one,
even if you meet Manikyaveena!
Further explanation
According to Indian tradition, Sanskrit is considered to be the language of Gods.
There is a language group predominantly used in Southern India, called Dravidian. The major languages of this group are Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. Malayalam is a language formed from the Dravidian tribe, so it is imagined as the daughter of Dravida. The term Devabhashamrita refers to the influence of Sanskrit language on Malayalam language. Besides the letters, many Sanskrit words have been adopted from Malayalam Sanskrit.
Hence the poet believes that the Malayalam language which is influenced by Sanskrit is a language derived and composed from God’s spoken language.
The poet says that the person who speaks Malayalam is because of the intrinsic virtue of the poet who is from the beautiful land of Kerala. He likens Malayalam to that solitary element in the family of Dravidian languages as musk in a small amount. Even though it is tiny in proportion, the fragrance is noticeable.
The poet also says that Kerala is a small state in one of the biggest countries in the world and yet is famous since the early trading history of the world. He wonders with mixed joy and pride as to why the language is not more famous.
Imagery
Sandalwood
Signifying purity as well as fragrance. The poet likens Malayalam language to be unique and pleasant in its being.
Garden
Malayalam language is likened to a garden, the poet portrays its works and authors as the flowers and bees of that garden.
Manikyaveena
Manikya Veena means veena made of ruby. Manikyam is one of the Navaratans (gems/ precious stones) .Veena is an Indian musical instrument capable of producing seven notes. The expression Manikyaveena refers to the excellence, majesty and sweetness of the language Malayalam.
Mulapal / mother's milk
The poet believes in the power of nurturing and says that mother tongue is also imparted to the infant Malayalai along with mother's milk. Breast milk is the first and essential form of nutrition for the growth and development of the baby. The malayalam mother tongue is similar and essential for a person from Kerala to be flourish in his or her life.
Questions/Issues posed by the poet through his poem
Embarrassment of native tongue in a modern world
Native scholars of Malayalam seem to be embarrassed in speaking and teaching in their native tongue because of the rapid universality of English. The reception given to another language and the neglect of Malayalam caused embarrassment to Swadeshi scholars.
Duty of every Malayali
Glory resides not in form. It is the duty of every Malayali to maintain the language and protect its pride. The challenges faced by the language should be defeated.
Shankara's national language
The poet believes that in the land where the Vedic scholar Adi Shankaracharya was born, why is the language not more famous?
But why not reach your fame?
SreeShankaracharya's national language!
Fragrance in the air -
Why more musk?
Malayalam like a bouquet , your flower-bed,
how many springs have not come? How many quills ( poets) have not been plucked by
one who does not touch the heart ?
How many heresies are not cut off the flowers?
Amma madhumasa
vibhuti all the Ramritacherta in you?
Again and again and again -
Mairam Vattamishreevikasam. We
see you as a wedding investment -
Kamasurabhi.
Blessed is the imagination that worships Thee, and
vain is the tongue that praises Thee.
It is enough to hear the saying of Kerala,
the harvest season of Koritharipp.
Ojassin Kathale, for you -
Koro Hridayuvumodi.
Let me show you everything, bright one,
even if you meet Manikyaveena!
Further explanation
According to Indian tradition, Sanskrit is considered to be the language of Gods.
There is a language group predominantly used in Southern India, called Dravidian. The major languages of this group are Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. Malayalam is a language formed from the Dravidian tribe, so it is imagined as the daughter of Dravida. The term Devabhashamrita refers to the influence of Sanskrit language on Malayalam language. Besides the letters, many Sanskrit words have been adopted from Malayalam Sanskrit.
Hence the poet believes that the Malayalam language which is influenced by Sanskrit is a language derived and composed from God’s spoken language.
The poet says that the person who speaks Malayalam is because of the intrinsic virtue of the poet who is from the beautiful land of Kerala. He likens Malayalam to that solitary element in the family of Dravidian languages as musk in a small amount. Even though it is tiny in proportion, the fragrance is noticeable.
The poet also says that Kerala is a small state in one of the biggest countries in the world and yet is famous since the early trading history of the world. He wonders with mixed joy and pride as to why the language is not more famous.
Imagery
Sandalwood
Signifying purity as well as fragrance. The poet likens Malayalam language to be unique and pleasant in its being.
Garden
Malayalam language is likened to a garden, the poet portrays its works and authors as the flowers and bees of that garden.
Manikyaveena
Manikya Veena means veena made of ruby. Manikyam is one of the Navaratans (gems/ precious stones) .Veena is an Indian musical instrument capable of producing seven notes. The expression Manikyaveena refers to the excellence, majesty and sweetness of the language Malayalam.
Mulapal / mother's milk
The poet believes in the power of nurturing and says that mother tongue is also imparted to the infant Malayalai along with mother's milk. Breast milk is the first and essential form of nutrition for the growth and development of the baby. The malayalam mother tongue is similar and essential for a person from Kerala to be flourish in his or her life.
Questions/Issues posed by the poet through his poem
Embarrassment of native tongue in a modern world
Native scholars of Malayalam seem to be embarrassed in speaking and teaching in their native tongue because of the rapid universality of English. The reception given to another language and the neglect of Malayalam caused embarrassment to Swadeshi scholars.
Duty of every Malayali
Glory resides not in form. It is the duty of every Malayali to maintain the language and protect its pride. The challenges faced by the language should be defeated.
Shankara's national language
The poet believes that in the land where the Vedic scholar Adi Shankaracharya was born, why is the language not more famous?
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