Letters of BalamaniAmma Nalapat 1960-80

1.
Calicut
1960

Dear Suvarna,
Received your letter .Making some minor alterations in your poem and sending it back.Read carefully the instructions given below it.
Got the issues of Desabandhu you had sent.We are well and happy here.Oppu went back to Guruvayur today with Madhavankutty.Therefore I will get less time for sometime hereafter.But Oppu has promised that she will come back soon.
Baby has become very naughty.He will start crying as soon as he spots a pen till he gets it.Then he will start scribbling on the floor with it.He loves to tear all books and papers.He has learned a naavooru song from a pulluvathy .He sings it for Bhava.Neettivalichu,oru paattu.

Regards from Sulu and Krishna.Our love to Vasanthi and the others .Take care in your studies.Get good marks.Nobody should get a chance to say that poets cant study properly.Hope Aniyan will win in the speech competition.Give the other letter to Amma.

With love
Swantham Valiyamma.

Poem –Sandhya (Twilight)

Horizon has turned red
As if sindhoor strewn
Clouds graze
Like herds of goats.

Beyond, the moon ,
round and full
Like a new silver plate.
Breeze come in
With jasmine’s fragrance
Lakes with waterlilies
Rise to touch moon
With the waves.

Doves,crows,parrots ,
Flying swift
To reach nest.
Ripe ricecorn
In beak of parrots
To feed young ones
.
I stopped,
And watched in wonder
What a beautiful sight!


Instructions:-
1.The stars as dots in a blue sari.I have omitted that description of yours,because in twilight,when the redness is not yet faded ,stars wont be visible.It doesn’t fit in.
2.The word kumkum changed to sindhoor.To suit red colour(chenniram).Praasa will give beauty.
3.White clouds.(venmegha)is not seen in twilight.Therefore just clouds would suffice
4.Aavaahan of fragrance.Just say ,the wind brought the fragrance.
5.Some words for keeping praasam.
Chekkeruka-kooderuka
Punnelkathir-puthankathir
6.As far as possible try to have praasa.If not dwitheeyaksharapraasa,adhyaksharapraasa will do.
7.For parrots.Instead of lips-beaks

(FN. I have scribbled under this letter something very special ,in my baby handwriting.Why I wrote it and from where I got it,I cant recollect.This letter being the first/or was that the second of Valiyamma’s letter ,now when I look at it,I feel a sort of wonder.

This is what I have scribbled:-

Elijah was the greatest of the prophets of Israel.When he was about to die,he was bodily taken upto heaven,in the presence of his faithful attendant Elisha,who inherited his spiritual power and became a prophet of Israel.”

This is the only letter on which Valiyamma has not put any date.)


2.


Kozhikode.
31.8.1960


Dear Suvarna,
Could write only today,though I had received your letter a few days back.All of us are okay here.Today is Uniettan’s birthday.Onam is very near.We are not doing anything special here.Satya’s house is busy.Big flower Kalams,Thrikkakkara Appans..Every day they add one Thrikkakkara Appan and for Onam there will be ten.Satya’s parents and Prema has gone to Nagarkoil for a marriage.Will come tomorrow.
Hope your school is closed.Sulu has only four or five holidays.Madhavan kutty is going home tomorrow.Krishna is now free of her illness.Medicines stopped.Both the kids are growing up smart and healthy.Baby loves his little brother.
Sundaran might come in October.Amy will come only later.When all of them arrive,the naming and chorunu (first feeding with rice)ceremony of the little one will be done.The name is not yet decided.

How is your flower arrangements and all.
My love to Vasanthi and the other children.I am notwriting to Amma separately.My Namaskaram to Ammamma.

With love
Swantham Valiamma.


3.
Kozhikode
15.6 .60
Dear Suvarna,
Received letter.
I will first write about the doubt you had asked.
The word Kuzhipookkal in that verse must be the poothiri according to me.It need not be correct.Since it is said they were scattering fireflowers(theemalar chinnunna).The big type of poothiri which is kept buried in ground is called a poovu(flower).I cannot think of any other meaning .Kimsukam is plaasu(a tree with fiery red flowers).

Send the desabandhu magazines here.I will write to them to send it to Amy directly to Bombay.My books you can read first and then send it to me.Are you not getting Vanitha?When there is time,write answers to the questions in it.
In the letter to join Mathrubhoomi baalasamkha your date of birth was not written.Probably that is why there is no reply.When I saw it in the next issue of the weekly only ,I remembered this.I will add it and write again.
All of us are okay.It is raining heavily.Sulu and Krishna sends their regards.Yesterday there was a telegram saying Unniettan passed in his exam.Today also he has got an exam.Satya and Prema come everyday.They carry the children for sometime.Love to Vasanthi,Aniyan,Sudha,and Asokan.Next time you see her,convey Congratulations to Amminiedathy for being first in her exam.
With love

Swantham valiamma

4
7.New Road
Alipore
Calcutta 27
20.9.61
Dear Suvarna,

A little bit late in replying.You would have heard from my letter to your mother.We are all okay.We sometimes see Thankam and Radha.On Sunday we had gone to watch a Malayalam film”Poothaali”.Not a good one.But because it has lot of humour,Monu loved it.
Vasanthy’s exam must be over.Results may not have been known.Are you going to college from home by bus?Write all the news.Regards and love to Vasanthy ,Aniyan,Sudha and Asokan.Das has gone to Delhi.He will return tomorrow.Amyoppu conveys her love to all of you.
Is Ammamma okay?Show this letter to Amma.I am not writing separately to her.I always remember those days when I stayed there with you.The onam days,sadhyaas,the light arrangements and the times overflowing with happiness.
Valiyachan will come on 30th night.Then we will return to Kerala.Two days at Calicut ,and then we will come to Punnayurkulam.
On 28th onwards Monu and Chinnan are having Pooja holidays.For one month they are on vacation.
Did the assembly sessions start?Did Achan go to Trivandrum?Since we are not getting Mathrubhoomi here,no Kerala news are known.Only the Sunday supplement comes.
With Love
Swantham valiamma

5
Calicut 1
11.11.1960
Dear Suvarna,
Received both your letters.Delayed reply because of shortage of time.Lot of work to finish.In between that I had to manage to write a preface to Sugathakumari’s poetry.Now it is over.Sugathakumari’s poetry is first class poetry.When the book is printed I will send it to you.

Your poem is good.With minor alterations it can be send to the baalapamkthy of Mathrubhoomi.I will send a new photograph of mine with this,or may be with Sundaran.He is coming over there.The same photo that appeared in the issue of the Five year plans.Sundaran came yesterday.Now he is teaching lessons to Sulu.It is her exam time.Yesterday sulu and sundaran went for an English drama.Sundaran will come there after two days.
The photo you saw in Baalapamkthy is that of Satya.She got a gold medal of one sovereign.She comes here often.
The younger child was vaccinated.It is a little bit infected.Not much fever.He is not crying at night.Baby is okay.Krishna’s cold and fever have gone.I am not writing separately to Amma.Show this to her.Our regards to Vasanthi etc.Sulu is eager to come there and to see Ammamma.We will come in the beginning of December.Amy will come after 5th.Then we need come back only in January.Hope Ammamma is healthy.
I am keeping a stamp in this.Narayanankutty may sometimes need it.Nothing more.Aren’t you concentrating in your studies as well?It is not good to waste time in class,for anyone.You should not entertain such groups and should not join them.
With love
Swantham valiamma

6 kozhikode
2.5.1960
Dear suvarna,
Very happy to hear that you are studying well.You should come first in all subjects.
A disciple of Keraleeyan has written an article about you.She is sending that to Vanitha Onam issue.She said she needs a photograph of yours.I do not have one.If you send it to me,I will give it.
We are all well.Baby starts to cry for pens whenever he spots them and with it writes on floor.He broke the nib of one.He is reluctant to wear shirts,just as before.The younger child also is midukkan(smart).Due to rains noone goes out nowadays.
Show the letter to Amma.Not writing separately.Love to Vasanthi,Aniyan,Sudhaa and Asokan.I don’t know whether I can come for onam.We will have to come for a few days and Krishna is still unable to walk as before.Therefore it will have to be postponed.Did Deshabandhu chitravaarika come again?It is not coming here.We read Arabiponnu.Excellant novel.A book to be read.
With love
Swantham valiamma

7. kozhikode
11.2.1961
Dear Suvarna,
Do not feel cross for my delay in replying.Lot of work.And so many things to write.I am slowly finishing one work after the other.
I have faith that you will pass in your exams.But I do not think that stopping schooling is a very great danger.Even if you do not go to school you can read a lot of good books and write too.There is nothing to be afraid of.
We are okay.We had invited Dr Janardhanan.He is coming tomorrow.Sulu’s college day and hostel day are approaching.She is busy with it.
Children are happy.Baby has become very naughty.And the younger one wants to walk around all the time,catching hold of our hands.He has two teeth now.Krishna also is well.
My love to the children.And to Achan and Amma.We have started several types of Krishi here.Just as in Sarvodaya.Everyone except me had gone to watch football.They say it was grand.
I heard your dancemaster has left.It seems he is in Bombay.Did you get a new one to teach you?Is Ammamma healthy?Convey my Vandanam.The rest is in next.
With love
Swantham valiamma

7 Saroj nivas
Bilathikulam
Kozhikode 6
1.8.1965
Dear Suvarna,
Got the letter and the story.I could not find time enough to read the story and that is why I delayed the reply.Though the story is a translation,it is good.I will consult N.V. and find out whether it can be published in Mathrubhoomi.There is no such rule that a translation should not be published,as far as I know.

I have missed your last letter .Therefore I cant recollect what you had written and write a reply to what you had asked.
Sulu went to Munnar on 28th.Amy and son have gone from Kochin to Bombay and from there to Delhi n 27th.We had gone to see off them at Ernakulam.Now here,we two alone remain.Feel sad when all the children left.For sometime all of them were with me.Both of them have written that they reached safe.Sundaran also is well.
Did you join MSc?Saw Indira from Ernakulam .Convey love to all children.Not writing separately to Amma.
With love
Swantham valiamma

8 kozhikode
23.5.1960

Dear Suvarna,
Happy to receive the letter.Achan and the children would have told you all about us ,after coming from here.Krishna is better.Children ara okay.Baby knows only Bhaskaran and LakshmiAmma,even now.To look after the younger one a new girl is employed.We are sending a photo of Krishna and the kids to Unniettan today.
Convey my love to Vasanthi and the others.Didnt you read Prabhaathadeepam?All children should read it.
I wonder how Suvarna became so much interested in the four –power summit meet for world peace!!Anyway,it didn’t succeed.Unfortunate.Isn’t it?
Show the letter to Amma.I have only very little time to spare.I will write to her soon.On July 6th I have to recite a poem in the All India Radio.I was spending lot of time on that.Yesterday that was finished and sent to them.
What news?On June 1st Sulu’s college reopens.Madhavan kutty is here.Will join college shortly.
Because of the rain wet clothes are increasing inside the house.And with it,mosquitoes.All are sleeping within nets.We have joined two cots in the big room upstairs and I sleep with the two kids on it.,with nets.In the small room Valiyachan and Madhavan kutty sleep.Krishna and Sulu are in the romms downstairs.How is the rain there?Are the frogs crying in Ammamma’s room?
Satya is trying her level best to make Baby friendly with her.Today her efforts were slightly successful.They played together for some time.
Nothing special for now.Our love to Gouri.
With love
Swantham valiamma

10. kozhikode
26.5.61
Dear Suvarna,
Happy to hear that you passed in the exams.Congratulations to you and Indira.Is Vasanthi very unhappy?Tell her failure is nothing and she should not feel sad.It is unfortunate that you could not come here and stay with me for some time.On first Sulu’s college reopens .She is going to hostel on the previous day evening.
Who all went for Padmini’s wedding from Punnayurkulam?How was the Vanitha camp?Wasnt it good?Why did Amma go to Thiruvananthapuram while the camp was going on in Punnayurkulam?Has she come back?I am happy to hear that Achan has been given the D.C.C president position.

I heard that Devi Thampatti’s son passed in exams.Devadas might be unhappy.What else is news?Is the rain very heavy?For two days it is raining heavily here and there is power failure .Today thereis some sunlight.
Where are you joining now?In Guruvayur?Hope Ammamma is okay.I hope the rain is not disturbing her routine.Love to Narayanan kutty ,Sudha and Asokan.Did you see Baby and Bawa?
Love
Swantham valiyamma

11.
Kozhikode
5.7.1960
Dear Suvarna,
Because of workload,I am late in replying.Got all the four magazines of Desabandhu ,you sent.I will write to them to sent to me directly and I will send it to you from here after reading.
Happy to hear that you have become the joint secretary of the Sahityasamajam.Have you delivered any speeches?
There may be heavy rains there.We are all okay.Krishna is well.Yet,she is unable to go out.Suluis busy with her studies.Baby’s birthday is over.There was not much celebration.Baby was reluctant to sit in front of the lamp.That made some difficulty.
Love to Vasanthi.Tell Ammamma that she should call me over the phone again.I had written about a numerology book to Amma.Tell her that she need not send that.I would like to get Tagore’s book.
Is Vilasini and her child well?Hope Sundari also has recouped from her illness.Did Radha go back?
The literary people are planning to have a celebration of Marar’s 60th birthday.It is on 17th.A gold chain and a silver deepasthambha are planned to be presented.Nothing is yet finalized.
Nothing more now.
With love
Swantham valiyamma ,ente suvarnakku.

12.
Kozhikode
8.9.1960
Dear Suvarna,
Received your letter.The reply was delayed because I was trying to complete an article on Vallathol.You can hear it on A.I.R on 17th night,9.30 PM.On 10th is the recording.I had to give the article yesterday.You know,I don’t have much time.So whatever little time I get ,I was spending on that article.
Didn’t you see your poem published in the Mathrubhoomi weekly?It is possible that Manorama is not giving you an opening because so many children are writing poetry nowadays.Probably they are offering more chances to children there on a regional basis.
Read Baalapamkthy carefully.The advices given by the new Kuttettan ,are very good .(Kadavanad Kuttikrishnan).Did you sent the article for competition?A full scape paper is one part of a sheet of white paper folded fourfold,I think.Ask someone in the high school and verify and find out.
All of us are okay,including Satya and Prema.Oppu is here.On 10th and 11th Sundaran has exams.And also in the monthend.By about November first he will come.Amyoppu will come after Dec 5th .By the time she comes ,we have decided to come to Sarvodaya.Here there is no space for all of us to stay together.Show this letter to Amma.Tell,I will write to her shortly.Are the children still at Trivandrum?How is Asokan managing?Without Amma,doesn’t he cry?
Happy to hear that the vanitha camp was a success.Good that women are getting interested in such activities over there.I am getting Desabandhu here.If there are any competitions ,I will cut it and send.This time there was no special issue for Vanitha.I don’t know whetherthat article on you was published or not.Vanitha doesn’t come here.I will enquire about it to Baala and write to you.
Next week Othello drama is staged here.Sulu says she wants to see.Nothing more.Love to Vasanthi.Tell Ammamma that we will come there after one and a half months.Hope everyone at Ambazhathel is okay.
With love
Swantham Valiamma

13.
Kozhikode
10.1.1964
Received letter and the poem.The poem is good.I have made minor alterations and sent it to N.V.Krishanavarier.I believe it will be published .Even if they select,it will appear only after three weeks.They select articles/subjects to each issue well in advance.
The last two lines,I have altered as,

Theremight be broken threads here and there
Yet it is wonderful,beautiful for us.
I thought ,till that last verse,You were talking about the love of womanhood to husband.Then why call her to remove the tears of the entire earth?And also,I thought ,which are the blue eyes of the earth,you are talking about?That is why I changed it in this way.
We are all okay.When will Sulu and Amyoppu return from there?We are waiting for them.Bawa asks everyday “When will they come?”
Love to all.
Swantham valiamma

14
Kozhikode
2.1.1961
Dear Suvarna,
Received your letter.When you send the matter to Mathrubhoomiweekly do not write Kadavanad kuttikrishnan in address.
Editor
Weekly(Balapamkthy)will do.Baalapamkthy in brackets.
All are okay.But Amyoppu and Monu contacted a fever after coming here.They will go back on 8th.It is doubtful whether they will come there again,accompanying Cheriyoppu.On the day of Cheriyoppu’s return,Balakrishnan may be asked to come with car to Shoranur.One of the teeth of Cheriyoppu was extracted.She has to visit dentist again on 5th.Before that she will not be able to come there.
There was a party for Sundaran’s friends (all doctors)yesterday.A good sadya.Biriyani etc were also there.Amy and Sulu were behind it.Everything went well.Day before yesterday we went with Das and Cheriyoppu to watch kathakali for some time.Yesterday,Das went and watched it ,the entire night.
We will come with Sulu some other day.Amy and Das will go directly to Bombay.They may not be able to come just for two days.
I think the younger one might be called either Madhavan or Chandran.No other name is needed.We want to bring Krishna and the kids here.We are eager to see the kids.I will write to Krishna shortly.Love to Vasanthi etc.Show this letter to Amma.

With love
Swantham valiamma

15.
Kozhikode
27.2.1961
Dear Suvarna,
Received letter and the photo.Photo is good.
We are all okay.When Padmavathy was carrying the younger kid,his head was hit on the door and the forehead injured.Doctor came immeadiately and took care of the wound.Luckily it is not infected.Everybody was worried seeing the flow of blood.Baby is okay.Running around and blabbering to everyone.
Sulu is now in hostel.The college is far away from here.Travelling twice a day takes lot of time.She doesn’t like that.Now she comes here on Saturdays .On Sunday evening goes back.She joined the hostel ,this Thursday.
When will your school close after the exam?Madhavan kutty has his study leave by the end of the month.He is not going home this time.
Iyer and wife are coming here today.They are in sukhachikitsa at Kottakkal.There is a film show on “Planning”today evening in our nextdoor neighbour’s house.We are invited.
On Sivarathri,Ammamma also went to the temple,Alle?Ammamma’s birthday might have been over recently.Is it not in the beginning of Kumbham?
My love to Amma,Achan,Vasanthi etc.I am not writing separately toAmma hopng that she will see the letter I sent to you.Hope everyone at Ambazhathel also are okay.Regards to all.
With love
Swantham valiamma

17.
Kozhikode
22.6.1961
Dear Suvarna,Received your letter.Vasanthi and Suvarna are staying together in hostel.Isnt it?Hope you like the college.Has your fever gone?
There is nothing special here .Sulu is in hostel.This Saturday she has an exam.So this week also she will not come home.Unni may not come in the near future.He writes to me.Bawa has started to run around.Now he isspeaking a few words.He gets angry very easily and slaps everyone.He is crazy about getting into a car.He goes in the car to Sulu’s hostel ,to bring her home.
Now,you can write articles in your college magazine too.After writing,read it again ,several times carefully.Everytime you read,you may find something to be corrected or modified.Take fair copy after all these readings and corrections.
I don’t know the meaning of the word Plash.If it is plush ,it is a type of velvet.I do not have a good dictionary.There is a big dictionary belonging to Ammaman,in the upstairs room at Nalapat.If there is such a word in English,you will definitely find the meaning in that book.When you go to Nalapat,next time,search for it.If the word is flash ,it means shine.
I will send you “Muthuchippi” shortly.They are poems worth reading.
For two days ,no rains.Clear shiny days.Tuesday ,it was Valiyachan’s birthday.We had invited some guests.Love to Vasanthi and Indira.
With love
Swantham valiamma


18
Saroj nivas
Bilathikulam
Kozhikode-6
13.3.1967
Dear Suvarna,
Received letter and the poems.The first poem is very good.I have sent it to Warrier.Also the article on drama.If he feels so,they may be published in the weekly.If not,he will return them back.I have arranged it like that.We cannot force him.Sending my photo also.
The poem “Postmortem”,I read.It is good to touch such very new topics .Such a novel attempt in poetry has to be commented upon.
The minor alterations I make in your poems is mainly for the beauty of the praasam only.
Also I thought we should not make the cloud a daasi.So a change there.You have ended the poem with the word Adbhudham.So,I made the caption also the same word.
“Sthreehridayam”is very good.I have made only two alterations in it.And two lines seemed unnecessary.That I have put in brackets.Even if those lines are included ,no harm at all.Sending that poem with these alterations back to you.
Wish you success in your exams.We are all well.
With love
Swantham Valiyamma.