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Pandalam Kerala Varma

(1879 – 1919) – (Kerala)

Kerala Varma (Aged 40), born in January 1879 and most commonly known as Mahakavi Pandalam Kerala Varma, was a poet, scholar, and publisher from the Pandalam Royal Family in India. He wrote two mahakavyas, over a hundred narrative poems, translations, and children’s poetry, and is widely regarded as the author of the first complete mahakavya in Malayalam.

Kerala Varma was the owner and Chief Editor of Kavana Kaumudi, the first Malayalam periodical, which introduced special issues in Malayalam.

Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer nicknamed Kerala Varma “Prithveesan” for his uncanny ability to write poems in Prithvi metre, and remarked that he had complete control over all words in Malayalam and Sanskrit. Muloor S. Padmanabha Panicker compared Kerala Varma to Garuda in his Kaviramayanam. Kerala Varma published a fortnightly periodical called Kavana Kaumudi, which contained poetry and contemporary issues, and was published from Pandalam. It was the first Malayalam periodical.

The Pandalam Kerala Varma Smaraka Samithi is an association set up in remembrance of the poet. The Samithi, with the support of Pandalathu Kottaram Nirvahaka Sanghom (Pandalam Palace Managing Committee), offers two awards: a literary award to honour excellence in poetry and a media award to honor excellence in editorial. The award is known as the Mahakavi Pandalam Kerala Varma Award. Kerala Varma passed away in June 1919.