Between the covers of this book lie mnemonic snapshots--in his own words and verse--of a towering figure in poetry, song, and trail-blazing cinema, P. Bhaskaran. Successive generations of Malayalees in Kerala, across India, and around the world have affectionately embraced him as their own 'Bhaskaran Master'. These recollections, as narrated to D. Pradeep Kumar and originally published in Malayalam under the title Atma Katha by Mathrubhumi Books, trace his journey from early boyhood, through a fiery revolutionary youth, to his emergence as a luminous poetic voice. His verse, rich in rhythm, meter, and emotional depth, evokes the very essence of Kerala. The flashbacks also delve into his other great passion--cinema--where he boldly forged new paths in Malayalam filmmaking. Woven through all his work is a profound humanism.

He gave voice to the emotions of ordinary people, always in a language that was unmistakably their own, even as his words and vision helped shape the modern, democratic identity of the Malayali. An initial translation in English of this account was done by Jyoti Unniraman. What appears in print here is a further translation of the published recollections, including some verse, by Sashi Kumar.