Rekindling a Poetic Tradition

TNIE takes a look at how the literary artform of Aksharaslokam is being preserved through cultural groups and Kalolsavam

- APARNA NAIR

Those scenes are now lost to posterity. The ones of homesteads where evenings were particularly warm with camaraderie, where the family gathered around a lit lamp to recite prayers and, after that, poetry in a pattern.

This was a game that tested memory, poetic skill, fervor, speed, sharpness, and verbal dexterity. The game evolved as a literary artform called Aksharaslokam, which required players to recite a poem beginning with the first letter of the third line of the previous player's verse.

Much like the modern Antakshari played with film songs, Aksharaslokam brought together young and old in a shared love for poetry.

It was a matter of pride to win, for which people sought to learn new poems or searched through volumes in a bid to stock up on verses. "Not just in families, but Aksharaslokam sessions were also part of interval periods amidst Pooram festivities, like the 140-year-old Peruvanam Pooram. These would often be informal gatherings too," says Dr. Ajayya Kumar, COO of Abu Dhabi-based Emircom LLC, who was trained at the Peruvanam-based Kundoor Smaraka Sadas, which was formed in 1982 by K.P.C. Narayanan Bhattathiripad with the patronage of N.D. Krishnanunni and Kunhunni Mash.