Edasseri Smaraka Samithi Ponani

Edasseri Smaraka Samithi
Ponani

Office Bearers and other members of the Working Committee of Edasseri Smaraka Samithi:

Mahakavi Akkitham Achyuthan Namboodiri President
Prof. K.P. Sankaran Vice President
Prof. K.V. Ramakrishnan Vice President
E. Madhavan Secretray
Suresh K. Wariyar Treasurer
Adv. Jison P. Jose Joint Secretary
K.U. Krishan Kumar Joint Secretray

Other members of the Committee are: Dr. K.P. Mohanan, Alamkode Leelakrishnan, C. Haridas, R. Gopalakrishnan, Ajith Kolady, M.M. Sacheendran, P.M. Narayanan, K.V. Sukumaran Master, T.K. Mohammed, C.V. Govindan, Ettan Sukapuram, T.V. Soolapani, P.K. Sadanandan, V.K. Prashanth.

Formation of Edasseri Smaraka Samithi:

Demise of Mahakavi Edasseri on 16 October, 1974 jolted his numerous friends and admireres. They wished to create an institution to eternalise the memory of their dear friend and the great poet. The time-transcending relevance of Edasseri poems for humanity was by then being acknowledged at least by the intellientia. The initiative had a dramatic beginning when the veteran social reformer and writer V.T. Bhattathiripad convened a meeting on December 25, 1978 at Kerala Sahithya Akademi to raise fund necessary for building a memorial for Edasseri. The fund raising was inaugurated by Dr. Umashankar Joshy, the well known writer, who recived the first donation from Shri Kolady Govindan Kutty. The need to have an organisation to carry forward these initiatives was realised as Edasseri Smaraka Samithi which was registered on October 30, 1979. The first President of the Samithi was V.T. Bhattathiripad and first Secretary Shri Kadavanad Kuttikrishnan. The personalities who lent support to the initiative included prominent persons such as Uroob, M.R.B, Akkitham, Kadavanad Kuttikrishnan, Pavanan, Kolady Govindan Kutty, K.V. Ramakrishnan, P. Krishna Wariar, Dr.K.K. Rahulan, P.T. Narenra Menon, P.K.A. Rahim, T.K. Muhammed, E. Raman Master, etc.

Milestones :

1978 December 25: V.T. Bhattathiripad convenes a meeting at Kerala Sahithya Akademi for raising funds for Easseri Smarakam (Memorial). First donation received from Kolady Govindan Kutty by Dr Umashanker Joshy well kown literary figure and President of Sahithya Academy, Delhi.

1979 October 30: Friends and admirers of Edasseri from literary field formally register "Edasseri Smaraka Samithi" under the Travancore-Cochin Literary, Scientific & Charitable Societies Registration Act, 1955

1982: First Edasseri Award conferred on N.K. Desam for his anthology of poems "Ullegham". Since then Easseri Award (now Edasseri Puraskaram) is being awarded every year.

1985 May 11: Honourable Governor of Kerala P. Ramachandran inaugurates "Edasseri Sahithya Mandiram", the seat of Edasseri Smaraka Samithi at Ponani.

1985: E. Harikumar, son of Edasseri, along with his friend Dr. S.P. Ramesh envisages musical composition of "Poothappattu", records them on audio tapes and releases the cassettes. The rendition of Poothappattu by V.K. Sasidharan remained a standard style for years to come. Other poems included in the audio cassette were "Kavile Pattu", "Islamile Vanmala", "Karutha Chettichikal", "Mappilla","Ambadiyilekku Veendum", "Poojapushpam", "Unnikrishnanodu" "Puthankalavum Arivalum", and "Nalathe Pattu".

1996: E. Harikumar under the banner of Edasseri Publications brings out the second edition of Complete Poetic Works of Edasseri. The first edition was published by Vallathol Vidyapeedom in 1988.

1998: E. Harikumar designs and hosts a website dedicated to the memory of Mahakavi Edasseri.

2004: A Souvenir was brought out by the Edasseri Centenary Committee, featuring serious studies and appreciation of Edasseri poems by eminent writers.

2004-2005: Edasseri Birth Centenary celebrated in many parts of the state, notable being the one organised by the Ponani Municipal Corporation and another by Thunjan Smraka Trust in association with Sahitya Akademi, Delhi and Edasseri Smaraka Samithi.

2004-2005: "Poothappattu" becomes the choice of artists from different disciplines. A Kathakali form produced by Kalamandalam Balasubrahmanian and Sasikala Nedungadi, and Mohiniyattam by Vineetha Nedungadi. (This perhaps inspired the youth to adopt Edasseri poems for performance, especially by children on different cultural occasions.)

2006: A collection of poems by 26 poets in remniscence of Edasseri titled "Edasseri Ninavil Varumbol" brought out by Mathrubhumi Books under initiative by Edasseri Smaraka Samithi.

2010-2014: Many youngsters choose poems by Edasseri for presenting in the poetry recitation competition Mampazham (A reality show) organised by the Kairali TV Channel. The inaugural session had Edasseri's Karutha Chettichikal recited by Anunanda. Several of them came top in the reality show.

2014: Edasseri Museum set up in the Edasseri Sahithya Mandiram, Ponani on the poet's death anniversary October 16, 2014. The museum was inaugurated by Artist Namboodiri by making a charcoal sketch of Edasseri's famous characters Pootham and Unni. A video of the sketching event was uploaded in YouTube.

2015: Organised musical rendering of 21 poems of Edasseri by youngsters recorded in CD and released in a function on October 17, 2014

2016: Easseri's poem "Lavanasuravadhathile Hanuman"(considered as one of the earliest dramatic monologues in Malayalam poetry) rendered in the form of Kathakalipadam (music) by the famous Kathakali musician Palanad Divakaran and party. The videos have been uploaded in Edasseri Channel of YouTube. The audio CD awaits release. Edasseri's grand daughter Anupama performed Mohiniyattom based on the poem Ambadiyilekku Veendum. This video is also available in YouTube.