THE KUMARAN ASAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CULTURE

 

KUMARAN ASAN

          N. Kumaran Asan was an Indian social reformer, philosopher and poet of Malayalam literature. He is known to have initiated a revolution in Malayalam poetry during the first quarter of the 20th century, transforming it from the metaphysical to the lyrical and his poetry is characterized by its moral and spiritual content, poetic concentration and dramatic contextualization. He is one of the triumvirate poets of Kerala and a disciple of Sree Narayana Guru.

                      

                          Asan was born on April 12, 1873, in Kayikkara village, Chirayinkeezhu taluk, Anchuthengu Grama Panchayat in Travancore. Narayana Guru's influence led Asan to spiritual pursuits. In 1895, he moved to Bangalore and studied for law, staying with Padmanabhan Palpu. He stayed there only until 1898 as Palpu went to England and a plague epidemic spread over Bangalore and Asan spent the next few months in Madras before proceeding to Calcutta to continue his Sanskrit studies. At Calcutta, he studied at Tarka sastra at the Central Hindu College, studying English simultaneously and got involved with the Indian Renaissance, but his stay was again cut short due to plague epidemic.

          He returned to Aruvippuram in 1900. Later he moved to Thonnakkal, a village in the periphery of Thiruvananthapuram, where he settled with his wife. On January 16, 1924, he died by drowning, when Redeemer, the boat he was traveling capsized in River Pallana. His body was recovered after two days and the place where his mortal remains were cremated is known as Kumarakodi.

          In 1958, when Joseph Mundassery was the Minister of Education, the Government of Kerala acquired Asan's house in Thonnakkal and established the Kumaran Asan National Institute of Culture as a memorial for the poet, the first instance in Kerala history when the government took over a poet's property to convert it into a memorial. It houses an archive, a museum and a publications division. Asan Memorial Association, a Chennai-based organization, has built a memorial at Kayikkara, the birthplace of the poet. They have also instituted an annual award, Asan Smaraka Kavitha Puraskaram, for recognising excellence in Malayalam poetry. The award carries a cash prize of ₹30,000 and Sugathakumari, O. N. V. Kurup, K. Ayyappa Panicker and K. Satchidanandan are some of the recipients of the award. Asan Memorial Senior Secondary School is a CBSE affiliated higher secondary school run by Asan Memorial Association. The India Post issued a commemorative postage stamp depicting Asan's portrait in 1973, in connection with his birth centenary.

 

THE KUMARAN ASAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CULTURE

            The Kumaran Asan National Institute of Culture, situated at Thonnakal, Thiruvananthapuram, carries the memories of the great poet. It is the first memorial dedicated by the Government of Kerala to a poet. Prof. Joseph Mundassery, the then Education Minister, laid the foundation stone at the birthplace of the poet in 1958. A committee appointed by the Government carries out the administration of the institute. Exceptional personalities in the field of literature, culture, social work and the like are included in the committee. The institute was bestowed with national status in the year 1999. Along with the monument, the home in which Asan lived is also protected here.

                     
                

                  Spread over three acres of land is a beautiful garden containing rare medicinal plants maintained under the supervision of distinguished sculptor Kanayi Kunjiraman. The Freedom Gate and the four sculptures being created by Kanayi are the major attractions in the garden. We can also find Mural Paintings in the memorial. Mural Painting is one of the oldest forms of artistic expression.

                    

                           Every year hundreds of tourists and scholars from different walks of life visit this national institute of culture. In the serene atmosphere of the institute the house in which the poet lived is preserved and exhibited without any change. A museum containing the belongings of the poet along with the manuscripts of his renowned works recites the life and development of the bard. Another museum with the largest collection of mural paintings is a special attraction of the institute. For the benefit of students and scholars a village lending library, a children's library, a research center approved by the University of Kerala for language and literature, culture and history, a computer institute, a publishing and sales division etc. are functioning here. The institute has a conference hall and all facilities to meet the requirements of tourists visiting the place.                                                                                           

                              Every year, the institute organizes various programmes of which the Jayanthi celebration conducted in the second week of April, the Asan National Festival conducted in the last week of December and first week of January are the most popular events. 'Vivekodayam' quarterly is the mouthpiece of the institute. The sculptors and paintings that we see in the memorial are the instances taken from Asan’s works. The memorial, in this way, is the visual enactment of Asan’s masterpieces. The handwriting of Asan is also preserved here along with the honorary ‘pattum valayum’ which he received from the prince of Wales when he was declared as ‘Mahakavi’.

           

                       Many cultural programmes are hosted in the memorial, not only national but also International, and many people from different countries comes together to share their culture and learn ours.

            History is the study of past events. We refer to the past when comparing it with the present times and deduce the changes that have taken place. These actions of the past also shape our future actions. Therefore, history plays a vital role in preparing us for the future. History is such an important part of our everyday lives. Not only because there are certain past events and occurrence’s that shaped our present world, but also since humanity tends to go through the same challenges repeatedly. The only difference is that people learn from what has already happened and develop better problem-solving mechanisms.

          When you read the stories of past individuals and situations, you put yourself in a position to question your own moral sense, improve it so that it can face the real world around you. There are people who overcame adversity and surmounted several obstacles in the past with very minimum resources. We can draw inspiration from such people and imitate their strength in solving the challenges that face us today. It’s always nice to know that the problems that we face are not unique, or that some people faced even greater problems but still managed to succeed.

          It’s important to know where we came from, and the journey that our ancestors travelled in search of a new home. Cultivating a sense of identity makes us appreciate who we are and use our diversity and uniqueness to build a better society. The future generations will need to know about those who came before them and influenced the world in one way or another. We study history so that we can pass on stories to the next generation.

          Culture is what a society lives on. Each society can see its culture reflected in its language, folktales, music, literature, and even in the way it raises its people. Each culture also has its own symbols. Culture has a host of sociological and economic values. It is intrinsic in gaining prosperity, learning, and individual and societal betterment. Participation in the cultural activities of their community brings an individual a host of personal benefits. Such activities can provide an experience to the individual that is always deeply moving- it may be unsettling to some, delightful to a few, and inspiring to others, but its impact is always deep, wondrous, and great.

          

                                It creates a sense of belonging that few other activities will bring. It is only by participating in a culture that an individual can forge an identity of their own; instead of completely merging with the homogeneous society that globalization is constantly threatening us with, an individual is able to create a unique niche for themselves. The culture of a region acts as a great tourist attraction. Cultural events draw tourists from all over the world eager to share in a unique cultural experience.

          Culture is the glue that brings about social cohesion. Various forms of socio-cultural activities and events such as fairs, classes and feasts help to bring the community together as a whole. This helps in forging string bonds between the community, which leads to sharing of ideas and overall growth of the society. Communities that stand together are better at managing risks and troublesome issues in case they should arise. Such communities also act as a support system for its members.

          Culture and its history are morals, beliefs, and aims. They form a people’s national identity. It is essential to preserve our cultural heritage to maintain our identity as a nation. The value of cultural heritage isn’t in cultural manifestation itself. But in the wealth of experience and skills passed down from generation to generation. Therefore, its necessary to preserve and celebrate Asan’s Memorial for the future generations. Asan and his literary works have much relevance in our culture, and it should be propagated as well as preached.