KOCHI: Mattancherry is known for its celebration of life. Whatever be the event, their culture has always intertwined with music. Even Covid couldn't steal their thunder.
Marking yet another quintessential Mattancherry fervour, a First-Line Treatment Centre (FLTC) with over 50 patients threw a surprise party for Fayiza who missed her nikah ceremony on Thursday after testing positive for COVID
Nineteen-year-old Faziya was admitted to the centre set up at the Mattancherry Town Hall on Wednesday after she was diagnosed with a fever two days back. As her presence will not be a requirement for the ceremony, her relatives decided to move ahead with her marriage with Niyaz.
The nikah was held at Muhiyudheen Mosque in Mattancherry at 11.30 am. Shouki, brother of Fayiza's late father Luqman attended the nikah.
At the same time, Fayiza was decked up in her wedding dress provided by her relatives at the COVID centre.
"None of the inmates knew that it was her nikah on that day. Though her presence was not required in marriage, they decided to throw a surprise Oppana party to keep her spirits high. After all, these moments won't happen again in her life. As entertaining events are permissible inside Covid wards to cool off their fear over the disease, all of them enjoyed the party," said Sudheer, Junior Health Inspector who is looking after the day to day functioning of Mattancheryyu FLTC.
Making her sit in the middle, the patients danced by singing the 'Vadakkele pathoone' song from the Soubin Shahir's Parava.
Fayiza was in awe and ecstasy with the surprise party, says a participant of the celebrations. "Despite knowing the fact that the girl is a total stranger to them, they danced to cheer her up. One of the members brought in biriyani, whereas the rest of us clapped our hands while singing the song. What else one could expect from the land of Umbayee," he said.