When he was a student, Ayyappan began composing poems. He joined the Communist Party and worked on the staff of Janayugom, the party journal. Ayyappan is well-known for his heartfelt lyrics as well as his bohemian lifestyle. He smoked cigarettes, drank alcohol, and stayed away from home sometimes for weeks at a time. Ayyappan's official biography says he started writing poems when he was a student in college. However, many people believe he had been writing poems all his life because many of his songs discuss topics such as love, life, and death. Some of his most famous poems include "Nalini" (The Nightingale), "Manikkaan" (To Manikkaan), and "Thaalamma" (The Weaver). In addition to writing poems, Ayyappan also used to sing them during concerts held in various parts of Kerala. The songs were so popular that they created a demand for him to perform live. This is how he got involved with politics - through songwriting and music performance. Ayyappan died in 1987 at the age of 58. But his songs live on today!