Songs of soil: Evergreen lyrics of Kavalam Narayana Panicker

Panicker never wanted to enter films. But he could not resist the loving persuasion of his friend and film maker G Aravindan to write a few songs for his film 'Thampu' in 1978.
 

But the first film to be released with his songs was Rathinirvedam. Composed by G Devarajan, the songs of the film remain fresh just as the movie that narrated the story of a teenager falling in love with a woman. 
 

In 1979, Kavalam once again teamed up with Aravindan in the film 'Kummatti.' Listen to the wonderful rain song from the film in the voice of Panicker's son and singer Kavalam Sreekumar. 

"Mukkutti Thiruthaali...": This fun song, sung by KJ Yesudas in the 1978 film  'Aravam' directed by Bharatan, is a folkish fast number. 

 

For the 1987 Malayalam movie Sarvakala Sala, directed by Venu Nagavally, Panicker penned the evergreen song 'Pularikakkunna Malayonnu thuduthe..' that remains a nostalgic hit. The song was sung by Malayalam Actor Nedumudi Venu, who is a close associate of Panicker in theatre activities. 

 

 

 Some of the best songs in Malayalam films were born out of his association with music directors Devarajan Master, Ilayaraja, Johnson, Raveendran, M B Sreenivasan and Shyam. 

Panicker must have enjoyed writing songs for the film 'Ayirappara' for the film was set in the backwater villages where he belonged to. The poet wrote the songs while happily criss-crossing the backwaters of Kuttanad in boat.

The melancholic melody 'Pularithoomanju Thulliyil' of the 1988 film 'Ulsavapittennu' was composed over phone! Panicker had revealed that he would write two lines that fits to the situation of the film and communicate it to Devarajan Master, the legendary composer. Devarajan also wanted Panicker to hum a tune of his own over phone. Fifteen minutes later, the soulful song, composed in Charukesi Raga. 

 

The choice of words of this song from 'Ivan Megharoopan,' the film based on the life of poet P Kunhiraman is clearly folk and romantic too. 

This 'Kokkarakko' song from 'Amen' (2013) is another fun song from the master of the folk. The funny verbal exchange between two rival groups in a village toddy shop was taken in a single shot and Panicker feasted  music lovers with the lines nobody else could imitate.