ART AND CULTURE
Palakkad district has a glorious cultural tradition. It is said that Thunchathu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, the father of Malayalam literature spent his last days in Chittoor Thunchathu Acharya madhom. Kunchan Nambiar the founder of Thullal, the most popular poet of Malayalam had his birth in a small village called Killikurissimangalam (Lakkidi) in this district. Mani Madhava Chakkiar for Koothu and Vazhenkada Kunju Nair for Kathakali are two famous names to be remembered in this context. The district has become blessed with the birth of Chembai Vaidyanadha Bhagavather, the exponent of Carnatic Music and Palakkad Moni Iyer, the inimitable master of Mridangam. C.Sankaran Nair, the first Malayali President of Indian National Congress belongs to Mankara is also in this district. The great modern poet of Malayalam literature, Mahakavi Kumaranasan wrote his famous poetry "Veena Poovu" at Palakkad.
The life and growth of modern literary men P. Kunhiraman Nair, Olappamanna Subrahmanian Namboothirippad, M.T. Vasudevan Nair and O.V. Vijayan are intimately connected with Palakkad. The eminent personalities of the district are late K.P.S. Menon and K.P. Kesava Menon. Swadesabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai spent his life in exile at Vadakkenthara near Palakkad town. The former Chief Election Commissioner T.N. Seshan also belongs to Thirunellavi Village of Palakkad Town. The former President of India Sri. K.R. Narayanan was first from Ottappalam Parliament Constituency of Palakkad district. The first Communist Chief Minister E.M. Sankaran Nampoothiripad belongs to Elamkulathu Mana in Palakkad District. Similarly a number of politicians are from this district gave their services to the nation.
Content Courtesy: Department of Information & Public Relation