Against all odds: P. Janaki’s journey from illiteracy to a literary voice

In the quiet tribal hamlet of Thoppilai in Chengala grama panchayat, 61-year-old P. Janaki stands as a living testament to the power of second chances. Once called to homes for odd jobs, she is now invited to stages and celebrations as a poet. Her recently published Malayalam poetry collection, Ponpulariyil, brought out by Kairali Publications, is a compelling symbol of personal triumph and the transformative power of education.

“I never thought my name would ever be printed on a book, let alone be called a poet,” said Ms. Janaki, her eyes welling up as she held a copy of her debut collection featuring 44 poems. Born into a tribal family gripped by deep poverty, Ms. Janaki grew up far removed from the idea of education.

“We did not have proper clothes. My mother used to tear pieces from jute sacks for me and my five siblings to cover ourselves,” she recalled. With no schools or libraries nearby and little government presence in the colony, learning remained a distant dream.

Ms. Janaki’s early life was defined by struggle. Education remained buried beneath responsibilities and poverty. “But somewhere in the corner of my heart, a wish to learn stayed alive,” she said. That wish rekindled in 2014 when Rajini, her friend and Kudumbashree mentor, offered to teach her as part of the Kerala State Literacy Mission’s equivalency programme. With Rajini’s encouragement, Janaki enrolled in the fourth standard equivalency class.

“She was determined from the start. She read every line like it was a prayer,” Rajini recalled.

Ms. Janaki passed the fourth, seventh, and eventually the tenth standard equivalency exams with distinction. But the turning point came when Rajini introduced her to poetry during a class session. “At first, I did not understand much. But the sound of rhyming words fascinated me. I decided to try,” Ms. Janaki said with a smile.

Encouraged by classmates and teachers, her poems slowly began to take shape. “Most of my poems are born out of pain. I write what I see — the injustice around me, the suffering of women like me, the lives that are left behind even as the country claims to move forward,” she explained.

Her collection Ponpulariyil includes deeply reflective poems such as Samuha Anithikal, Karutha Kai, Mahatmavinte Jeevitham, Ramante Vazhi, Muthumani, and Corona. Remarkably, Janaki crafted all her verses without access to any literature beyond the basic textbooks provided during her equivalency studies. “There is still no library in our colony. That’s my biggest regret. If I had access to books, I could have learned so much more about the world,” she said.

Yet her resolve remains unshaken. “I may not be able to travel the world, but I will let my poems and writing carry my world to others,” she added.

Kannur district panchayat president K.K. Rathnakumari, who launched her book, hailed Janaki as a “shining example of what literacy can achieve.” She noted that had Janaki been given a chance earlier in life, she might have been one of the State’s most celebrated poets.

Kerala Sahitya Akademi awardee and renowned poet Payyanur Kunhiraman Master also praised her work. “Her verses are rooted, honest, and powerful — a living reflection of how education can awaken dormant talent,” he said.