SANSKRIT IN THE REIGN OF MANAVIKRAMA OF KOZHIKODE

          One of the most important centres of Sanskrit studies in Kerala during the middle ages was the court of the Zamorins of Kozhikode also known as Calicut.  There were many scholars and poets in that royal family who contributed substantially to Sanskrit literature; the number of scholars patronized by them is also very great.  Among these Zamorins of Kozhikode, ManaVikraman Saaktan Tampuran of 1427 A.D., was the earliest and the most outstanding.

          According to popular traditions there were nineteen poets as the Padinettaraik Kavigal or ‘the eighteen and a half poets’, in the court of ManaVikraman.  Of these Punam Nambutiri was called the ‘Half poet’, he was only a Malayalam poet, and not a recognized Sanskrit scholar.

          Among the nineteen poets, DamodaraBhatta who was patronized by the king ManaVikraman, was the author of VasumatiManaVikramam a play in seven acts.  It describesthe story of ManaVikraman’s marriage with Vasumati, daughter of his minister Mannaat Achan.