Ente Bhavi Ellam Ente Daivam

Mahakavi K V Simon (Poet Laureate, highest rank given to a poet in India) was a towering apologist of the Christian faith in India. Born in 1883 in Kerala to Mr. Varghese (who had mastered Hindu Puranas) and Mrs. Kandama (who was a skilled in poetry), Simon grew up as a child with an exceptional skills in poetry. Taught by his elder brother K V Cherian, Simon started writing poems by the age of 8. In 1885, Simon was born-again in a gospel meeting conducted by Tamil David. In 1886 he passed the examination in native language, and became a teacher at the age of 13 in Marthoma School, Eduramala. ……………………..Mahakavi Simon was a scholar in Malayalam, Sanskrit, and Tamil. He also mastered English, Hindustani, Telugu, Kannada, Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Syriac. In 1900, he married Ayroor Pandalapedika Rahelamma (later popularly called as Ayroor Amma). They had one daughter. Mahakavi Simon was one of the prominent leaders of Brethren movement in India and a founding leader of Brethren movement in Kerala. He had mentored an astounding number of disciples including Pandit M M John, Pastor K E Abraham (the founder of India Pentecostal Church), Evangelist K G Kurien, Evangelist K G Thomas etc. Mahakavi Simon through his Mahakavya Veda Viharam (a poetical rendering of the first book of the Bible – Genesis) has inspired many in the following generations to write poems and even Mahakavya in Indian Languages.