Kerala: Village recreated in school triggers nostalgia

KOLLAM: School students recreated an entire village in Kerala to bring back the nostalgia of the 1970s in Kerala. Titled ‘Manjadikkunnu’, the recreated village arranged at the Pattathanam UP School campus, gives the younger generation a chance to experience nuances of village life.

The village is the school’s tribute to the State, which is celebrating 60 years of establishment. It was opened to the public by Maruthan, the ‘Ooru Mooppan of Attappadi’ accompanied by various tribal dance form by 12 men and four women led by tribal artist Kalimuthu here on Thursday.

Over 100 students from the school and 50 students from a nearby school will take part in various programmes organised as part of the show titled ‘manjadikkunnu.com’, which will conclude on May 1. The students and public visiting the village can experience traditional games including akku kali, kuzhi thappi, seventees, blind fold game, and kilithattu kali taught to the new generation students by Aji Mathew Koluthra, the author of the book Kulam-Kara.

An exhibition organised as part of the programme will showcase historic remnants of ancient agriculture techniques including bullock cart and ancient plough. The students will also get a hands-on experience of coir making and handloom. Satheendran Panthalakkode will demonstrate how to make toys using coconut palms under the name ‘Olappeeppi’.

Students will get a flavour of the older days in the traditional kitchen set up at the school along with knowledge on ‘the chemistry of kitchen’ led by Prof. C.P. Aravindakshan, retired principal, Thiruvananthapuram Government College.

Karingannoor Gopalakrishnan will demonstrate the creation of useful objects from waste under the title 'Athbhutha Prapanjam'. The programme will end on May 1 and the entry will be free.