Thalassery: Exhibition a window to bygone era

KANNUR: The exhibition of archeological pieces and artefacts conducted by the departments of archives and archaeology on the sidelines of the 43rd state film award distribution in Thalaserry is drawing crowds. The three-day exhibition that began at the Government Brennen higher secondary school on Friday showcases several rare antiques of the bygone era. The emblem Kerala accepted and later debunked in 1958, a plough of 1914, Omkara mani, Pathaya Kettu, Aama petti, Njattuvela Kalappa among others are the memories of an agrarian era.

Among the antique pieces, ‘Chithravadhakoodu’ is the main attraction. It is a cage-like arrangement which was used to hang a convict by the erstwhile Travancore rulers in a cruel way. The person used to be put inside the cage and exhibited in public. Injuries were made on his body which attracted vultures and crows. Chitravadhakoodu ensures a horrifying death for the convicted person. The exhibition also has some rare documents. The memorandum of the Thalaserry Bar Association urging that the heritage city be made the headquarters of Malabar in 1956 was a rare collection.

The protest by various bodies and citizens over the recommendation to close down the government Brennen college in 1931 was another historical event that unveils through many documents. The deed signed by Arakkal Beevi of Kannur and British East India Company in 1796, the Malabar government gazette of 1863 are also on display. “Each of the things displayed here has a long history to tell,” said Pradeep Chokli, film director and organiser of the exhibition. The film award function will take place at Thalasserry Municipal grounds today.