A Google doodle celebrating the life and works of Indian poet Balamani Amma on July 19 has piqued curiosity among poetry enthusiasts about her writings and contributions to the Malayalam literature. The doodle has been illustrated by Kerala-based artist Devika Ramachandran for Amma’s 113th birth anniversary.

Born in 1909 at Nalappat, Amma spent most of her lifetime in the Malabar district of British India and learnt to read and write Malayalam at home under the tutelage of her maternal uncle. Amma never received any formal training in education and went on to publish over 20 anthologies of poems, prose and translations during her lifetime.