Tributes paid to Malayalam poet

(From left) Music director M.S. Viswanathan, Malayalam poet O. N. V. Kurup, Dakshinaa, President C. G. Rajendra Babu and film-maker and writer M. T.Vasudevan Nair at the third death anniversary of Kerala's renowned poet, lyricist and film-maker P. Bhaskaran in Chennai on Sunday. Photo: K.V. Srinivasan

As freedom-fighter, celebrated poet-lyricist, political activist and filmmaker, P. Bhaskaran's multi-dimensional influence on the Malayali consciousness was commemorated here on Sunday.

‘P. Bhaskaran Smruthi,' co-hosted by Dakshinaa cultural organisation and the Asan Memorial Association to mark his third death anniversary, was both a layered assessment of his literary contributions and a closer look at the man who was at heart a lover of humanity.

Malayalam poet O.N.V. Kurup recollected his campus days when the revolutionary verse of Bhaskaran added to the fervour of the freedom struggle.

Referring to the poet-lyricist's deep bonds with erstwhile Madras, he said “Bhaskaran Master” was one who “enriched his own language while respecting other languages.” Remarking that the bickering over river waters these days gave the impression that the umbrella concept of the south (‘Dakshina'), its languages and peoples were forgotten, he appealed for oneness and cooperation.

Writer M. T. Vasudevan Nair said Bhaskaran Master never yearned for appreciation of his lyrics by the intelligentsia, preferring rather the spontaneous acceptance by the laity. He suggested a detailed study on various aspects of Bhaskaran's verse such as his concept of romance or his use of the symbols of nature.

Music composer V. Dakshinamoorthy, whose special kinship began with the film “Ashadeepam” (1951), said Bhaskaran Master would always be remembered for his songs.

Filmmaker K. S. Sethumadhavan said it was one of his deep regrets that in spite of a 40-year-long association with Bhaskaran Master, only two of his films had songs written by the lyricist.

Music composer M. S. Viswanathan; Sashi Kumar, chairman, Media Development Foundation; M. O. Joseph, producer; C. G. Rajendra Babu, Dakshinaa president, were also present.

Earlier, addressing a poetry forum, writer Paul Zachariah Bhaskaran, who exuded the spirit of renaissance and was politically active, had subsequently withdrawn into a non-aligned space.

For someone who had taken to political activism from student days and shared the Communist vision of equality and social justice, his subsequent withdrawal into a private space was both a reflection of his repudiation of the politics of power and the perhaps the realisation that there was no role for art in governance, he said.

Balachandran Chullikad said Bhaskaran Master, whose sense of social justice survives the fading away of some ideologies, had in a way “democratised the human imagination.” Alamcode Leelakrishnan said Bhaskaran Master can be credited with mainstreaming the everyday language of the common man through his lyrics.

Actor-writer V. K. Sreeraman said Bhaskaran Master was among the early exponents to source literature for cinematic themes.

Poet V. Madhusoodanan Nair urged the youth to rediscover the greatness of Bhaskaran Master. Asan Memorial Association office-bearers E. K. Purushothaman and C. K. Revi, also spoke.