Broadly speaking the Golden period of Malayalam Literature was the hundred years from 1850 for it was during this period that stalwarts like Kerala Varma, A.R. Rajaraja Varma, Chandu Menon, C.V. Raman Pillai and the Kavitrayam Asan, Ulloor and Vallathol lived and produced literature that was great by all standards.

Kerala Varma and Rajaraja Varma were indeed the towering figures, and they hold a unique position. Rajaraja Varma in whom we see a rare blend of scholarship and creative talent, was the moving spirit behind the great literary renaissance in Kerala.

Says Ulloor of A.R. Rajaraja Varma, "While others embellished the walls of the mansion of Malayalam literature with their paintings and drawings, A.R. worked both on its foundation and dome and made it a long enduring and imposing structure for the benefit of the people of Kerala. His fame rests on this architectural accomplishment and is bound to last for ever".

This monograph is written by Dr. K.M. George, a scholar and critic of repute who was connected with the Sahitya Akademi in various capacities. Apart from his numerous publications in English and Malayalam, Dr. George has written for the Sahitya Akademi a similar monograph on Kumaran Asan and a perceptive study on 'Western Influence on Malayalam Language and Literature'.

**Contents and Sample Pages**