The undiminished admiration of the world of literature to the poet who “blended the best of tradition with the best of modernity” was very much evident on Wednesday at the VJT Hall, Thiruvananthapuram, where the Ayyappa Paniker foundation had organised the 78th birth anniversary celebrations of the late poet.

If for students of literature it was an opportunity to hear about a man who was a teacher to most of their teachers, for the lovers of literature the day was also an occasion to enjoy the ‘Kavi arangu’ organised as part of the celebrations.

In his commemorative lecture, Marathi poet and critic Dileep Chithre voiced his concern over the dying oral and dialectical traditions in the country. In his speech at the public function organised in the evening, Mr. Chithre requested Education Minister M.A. Baby to consider giving land in Thiruvananthapuram for setting up an international institute for poetry in memory of Ayyappa Paniker.

The late poet did not have an ideological stance. He made speakers of other languages aware of what was going on in Malayalam literature. Ayyappa Paniker never confined himself to theorising about poetry. He practised what he professed, Mr. Chithre added.

In his inaugural address at the public function, Mr. Baby said Ayyappa Paniker may be rated as a master ofmodernity. However, Paniker did not deny or cut himself off from tradition to walk the path of modernity. In his address at the public function litterateur K. Satchithanandan described Ayyappa Paniker as a people’s poet who welcomed varied voices in poetry. This plurality is the hallmark, the very nature of a democratic society. Paniker’s poetry was often the blend of opposites. The poet not only took what was best from tradition but also modernised tradition in the process, he added.

A symposium on Paniker was also held during the day. Two books, ‘The selected works of Ayyappa Paniker’ and ‘A Short History of Malayalam Literature’ were also released on the occasion. A documentary on the poet, ‘Ariyatha Sooryanum Vilarattha Chandranum,’ was also screened.

It was a day of solemn remembrance, a celebration of poetry. Students, friends and associates of eminent poet and critic Ayyappa Panicker came together to pay glowing tributes to the man who gave Malayalam literature a whole new dimension and breathed fresh life into it.