Poonthanam’s house (illam) was located in the district of Malappuram near Perinthalmanna in Kerala. Poonthanam was considered one of the best spiritual souls. He has composed many poems. His most famous composition is "Jnanappana".".

When the Lord Unnikrishnan is always playing in my mind, do I need a baby of my own? The above line of the poem will make us really emotional when you hear the sad story behind it. Poonthanam did not have any child for a long time. Finally his prayers were granted and he became the father of a son. He did the Initial samskaras for his son like jathakarma (done soon after the baby is born) and nama karana (naming of the child). When the baby was six months old, Poonthanam decided to celebrate the child’s Annaprasanam (first feeding of cooked rice). He fixed an auspicious date for that and invited his friends and relatives. The preparations were in full swing. On the day of the ceremony everybody in the house got up early. Poonthanam’s wife gave a good bath to the baby and dressed him, well. She nursed him and put him to sleep on a mat on the floor. The mother tucked the baby with a nice white sheet. The baby was sleeping soundly

The invitees from the neighborhood started coming in. In those days the Nampoothiri women practiced ghosha system (they used to cover their body with a white cloth and keep a palm leaf umbrella when they went out to avoid the glances of other men). The lady of the house greeted the guests. She pointed out the baby’s room to put their covering cloths. The lady who went in first put her cloth on the bed of the baby. The others who followed her did the same. In their hurry they did not even notice the baby on the bed. Then they joined the hostess in preparing food.

It was time to bring the baby to the ceremony spot. The mother went into the room to pick up the baby. She saw a heap of cloths on the bed. She removed all the clothes then she found that the baby was underneath the heap. He had stopped breathing due to suffocation. No need to explain the afterward situation.

There is a story in Bhagavatham about Narada whose mother died of snakebite and that incident helped the Saint to divert all his attention towards the God. The same happen to Poonthanam whose devotion became more intense that was the time and the following poem came out his lips.

"When the Lord Unnikrishnan (baby Krishnan) is playing in my mind,

Do I need another baby of my own"?