Thiruvananthapuram: The rare manuscripts of the late poet ONV Kurup were handed over to the state government by his wife Sarojini on Wednesday. Education Minister C. Raveendranath and Ports Minister Ramachandran Kadanappally received the manuscripts at a function held at their residence Indivaram, Vazhuthacaud, here.
The manuscripts included the diary page of O.N. Krishna Kurup, the father of O.N.V. Kurup who was also a member of the Praja Sabha, of May 27, 1931 expressing happiness over the birth of the poet.
ONV's father recorded the day in the diary as a golden day as it was the same day when his idol Jawaharlal Nehru visited Kollam. The senior Kurup who was municipal councilor then had led the function to welcome Nehru. It was after his return from the function that senior Kurup knew that his wife had given birth to a boy. This was why he recorded the day in the diary as a golden day, said Kurup's wife Sarojini.
The other manuscripts included the signature of Kurup on the first page of the anthology of short stories of Raveendranath Tagore. The book was read by ONV while he studied BA during 1951-52. That was for the first time that ONV had put a signature in English. The manuscript of Kurup's anthology of poetry 'Karuthapakshiyude Pattu' was also handed over.
The manuscripts were donated during a survey organised by the State Archives Department using the services of 70,000 people who are studying the tenth standard and higher secondary equivalency course of the Kerala State Literacy Mission (KSLMA).
The survey was planned to identify rare letters and books, palm leaf manuscripts, 'sasanas' and hand-written documents of historical importance that are yet to be identified. There are also plans to preserve the neglected archival records. The survey is also aimed at compiling the local history of the state.
A large collection of palm leaf manuscripts in ancient Malayalam scripts 'vattezhuthu' and 'kolezhuthu' is still in the hands of private individuals.
