Kavalam Narayanappanikkar weaved magic with poetry by including the local slang and identities in his creations. In his lines and even in his demeanor, we could always see the simplicity of a villager from Kuttanad.
After he moved to Alappuzha and then to Thiruvananthapuram, the place he stayed came to be known as Kavalam, as if he was permanently linked to the place.
It is believed that the Kavalam Chalayil family initiated the cultivation of paddy near the Vembanad lake by churning up the mud of the river. When Narayanappanikkar of the same family churned the river, what he brought forth were artefacts that told the stories that time had forgotten. His poetry talked about oft-forgotten elements of nature or about people who mattered in time gone by. Perhaps it is because of him that these elements got mention in many places around the world where his poetry was discussed and analyzed. That also extended to his dramas, which had a unique flavor of its own.
He planned to move to the capital when he was planning his own style of dramas. After moving, he, however, did not forget his place and used to visit it whenever he had time. Other than visiting the temple with his family regularly, he also set up theatres for children as part of staying close to his place of birth.
In spite of being from Kuttanad, he never came to see the Nehru Trophy boat race. He, however, was one among the audience when the water event was first staged. He was then staying at Alappuzha to practice as a lawyer.