Balamani Amma

Nalapat Balamani Amma (19 July 1909 – 29 September 2004) was an Indian poet who wrote in Malayalam. Amma (Mother), Muthassi (Grandmother), and Mazhuvinte Katha (The story of the Axe) are some of her well-known works. She was a recipient of many awards and honours, including the Padma Bhushan, Saraswati Samman, Sahitya Akademi Award, and Ezhuthachan Award. She was the mother of writer Kamala Das, also known as Madhavikutty.

Biography Balamani Amma was born on 19 July 1909 She was influenced by Nalapat Narayana Menon and the poet Vallathol Narayana Menon.

At age 19, Amma married V. M. Nair, who became the managing director and managing editor of Mathrubhumi, a widely circulated Malayalam newspaper, and later an executive at an automobile company. She left for Kolkata after her marriage to live with her husband. V. M. Nair died in 1977. Her cremation was attended with full state honours.

Poetry Balamani Amma published more than 20 anthologies of poems, several prose works, and translations. Her first poem "Kooppukai" was published in 1930.

Collections of poems

Kudumbini (1936) Dharmamargathil (1938) Sthree Hridayam (1939) Prabhankuram (1942) Bhavanayil (1942) Oonjalinmel (1946) Kalikkotta (1949) Velichathil (1951) Avar Paadunnu (1952) Pranamam (1954) Lokantharangalil (1955) Sopanam (1958) Muthassi (1962) Mazhuvinte Katha (1966) Ambalathilekku (1967) Nagarathil (1968) Veyilaarumbol (1971) Amruthamgamaya (1978) ’’Sahapadikal’’(1979) Sandhya (1982) Nivedyam (1987) Mathruhridayam (1988) To My Daughter (Malayalam) Kulakkadavil Mahavira

Awards and recognition Her poetry earned her the titles of Amma (mother) and Muthassi (grandmother) of Malayalam poetry. While delivering the Balamaniyamma remembrance speech at the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri, described her as the "prophet of human glory" and said that her poetry had been an inspiration to him. Writer and critic M. N. Karassery considered her a Gandhian, and believed her works should be revisited when people consider Nathuram Godse to represent Indian nationalism.

She is often regarded as the ‘Mathruthwathinte Kavi’ (poetess of motherhood’ or ‘Muttassi’ (grandmother), due to her fondness for children.

Legacy The Kochi International Book Festival Committee created the Balamani Amma Award, with a cash award for writers.

On 19 July 2022, Google honoured Amma with a Google Doodle on her birth anniversary. She has been referred to as "the grandmother of Malayalam literature".