By Ashraf Padanna/Thiruvanathapuram
Malayalam poet D Vinayachandran, who took his poetry to the masses through his inimitable style of recital, died in a hospital here yesterday at the age of 66.
Vinayachandran, who was living alone in a one-room apartment here after retiring as a university professor, was found in an unconscious state by his friends after he suffered a stroke last week.
Doctors immediately put him on ventilator but his condition deteriorated and the end came at 11.30am yesterday.
The body was taken to his village in Kollam district after it was kept at the Press Club and later at the VJT Hall for people to pay homage to “the people’s poet.”
Prof M Madhussodhanan Nair and a group of young poets recited Vinayachandran poems as his body lay in state in VJT Hall.
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Assembly Speaker G Karthikeyan, federal minister Shashi Tharoor, senior state ministers, leader of the opposition V S Achuthanandan and a host of cultural leaders were among the mourners who paid homage to the poet.
“He evolved a style of his own in Malayalam poetry. He will be remembered for his immortal poems,” said Tharoor.
Vinayachandran, a bachelor, retired as Malayalam professor from University College here. He received the prestigious Kerala Sahitya Academi Award in 1992 and the Asan Prize in 2006 besides a host of other honours.
Veettilekkulla Vazhi (The Way Home), Samsatha Keralam PO (All Kerala Post Office), Disa Soochi (Compass), Narakam Oru Premakathayezhuthunnu (Hell Writes a Love Story) and Perariyatha Marangal (Nameless Trees) are some of his widely acclaimed collections of poems. He also authored three novels in Malayalam besides essays and translations.
Vinayachandran switched to literature after graduating in physics. He obtained his postgraduate degree with a first rank and started working as a guest lecturer at various educational institutions where he earned a lot of admirers with his unique style of teaching.
He worked as a teacher for more than 30 years and turned to full-time literary activities after retirement. An avid nature lover, he made frequent visits to the forests which had a bearing on his poetry as well.
He was also a recipient of Muscat Kerala Cultural Centre Award.