The 113th birthday of renowned Indian poet Balamani Amma, regarded as the grandmother of Malayalam literature, is honoured in today's Google Doodle. Balamani Amma, who was born in the Kerala's Thrissur, had won a number of honours for her writing, including the Saraswati Samman and the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honour. Kamala Das, who was nominated for the 1984 Nobel Prize in literature, was the daughter of Balamani Amma.
She was homeschooled by her uncle Nalappat Narayana Menon, a well-known Malayali poet, and never attended a formal school.
Amma studied his extensive body of writings during her upbringing.
She wed V.M. Nair, the managing director and managing editor of the Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi, when she was 19 years old.
In 1930, her debut poem, Kooppukai, was released.
She was honoured with the Sahithya Nipuna Puraskaram by Parikshith Thampuran, the previous king of the Cochin, who recognised her as a talented poet.
Amma's early poetry, which adopted the concepts and narratives of legendary heroes and portrayed women as strong individuals, praised motherhood in a novel way.
She earned the moniker "poetess of motherhood." Her most well-known works include Mazhuvinte Katha (1966), Muthassi (1962), and Amma (1934).
More than 20 anthologies of poetry, prose, and translations have been written by Balamani Amma.
According to Google Doodle, she received the names Amma (Mother) and Muthassi (Grandmother) of Malayalam poetry for her poems that express her affection for her children and grandkids.
She died in 2004, and full state honours were accorded her cremation.