Indian literature , starting with  Vedic  and oral literature to  Buddhist  and contemporary literature  [4] . Paniker (his preferred spelling) was born in  Kavalam  near  Alappuzha  to E. Naryanan Namboodiri, a  Namboodiri   Brahmin  of Periyamana Illam, and M. Meenakshiamma. Fourth of the eight children, six of them girls, he grew