Ayyappan, 61, a bachelor whose Bohemian life and `anarchic' poetry won him numerous admirers, was found in an unconscious state in front of a theatre in the city by local people who informed the police.
Without recognising the poet, the police took him to the hospital where he died at 11.40 am, police sources said. The body was later recognised as that of Ayyappan.
Ayyappan, born at Balaramapuram in the outskirts of the city in 1949, started writing poems when he was a student. He joined the Communist party and had worked with CPI mouthpiece Janayugom for a short period.
A close friend of late film-maker John Abraham who was also known for his lifestyle similar to that of the poet, Ayyappan was a regular presence at International Film Festivals held in the state.
Ayyappan, who was very popular among the poetic fraternity and the young generation of poetry lovers, had won several awards in his decades-long poetic career including the prestigious Asan Puraskaram this year.
His collections include Maalamillatha Pampu, Onakkazhchakal, Buddhanum Aankuttiyum and Karuppuveyil Thinnunna Pakshi. Apart from this he had penned more hundreds of small poems for periodicals.