Poontanam Nambootiri - a contemporary of Meppathur Narayana Bhattathiri, who is the author of the famous "Narayaneeyam". Both lived in Guruvayur Temple, composing in praise of Lord Guruvayurappan.

Meppathur was a Sanskrit scholar (as can be seen from his Narayaneeyam slOkams), but Poonthanam was not that good at Sanskrit. When Poonthanam composed some Malayalam work, and asked Meppatthur Bhattathiri to read and correct it, Meppathur (due to his pride) declined, saying it was not his job to read a trivial Malayalam work, since he was good at Sanskrit. Poonthanam was natuarally upset about this. That night, Lord Guruvayurappan appeared in Mepppathur Bhattathiri's dream and uttered:

I like the "bhakti" in Poonthanam's work, rather than the "vibhakti" (scholarly sanskrit) in your work.

Meppathur felt sorry, and was ashamed at his silly act. He begged Poonthanam to forgive him, and later they became close associates. Many poetical works of Poonthanam Nambuthiri are available, all in simple Malayalam, which even a child can understand.

(Information from Swami Pallasena courtesy Lakshman Ragde).

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