THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The stage at Ganesham-Soorya Nataka Kalari was filled with grief as thousands from across the state gathered to bid farewell to cultural connoisseur Soorya Krishnamoorthy on Thursday.
A host of prominent personalities, including ministers Sunny Joseph and C P John, Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, MLAs V Joy, M Vincent, V Muraleedharan, Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V V Rajesh, filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, paid homage to the late artist.
“The time 6.45 pm was, in some way, special for Krishnamoorthy sir. Programmes for the (Soorya) festival would start by that time. He was declared dead by Wednesday at 6.45 pm. So we decided to give him a final goodbye at that time,” said Rafeeq, Krishnamoorthy’s close associate.
“Soorya Krishnamoorthy sir used to keep a warm bond with everyone, which made him a respected figure for all. We were discussing how we would be able to perform on this Ganesham stage without him,” said actor Navya Nair, who was a regular performer at the festival.
Actors Asha Sharath, Lekshmi Gopalaswamy, Rachana Narayanankutty, Paris Laxmi, Nandu, and Chippy Ranjith, singers G Venugopal, Aravind Venugopal, and G Sreeram, senior Carnatic vocalist K Omanakutty, and poet V Madhusoodaan Nair were some of the many who paid their respects to Soorya Krishnamoorthy.
Donning the same hat and spectacles which had become part of his identity, the legacy of Soorya Krishnamoorthy lives on in Ganesham.
He was cremated at Thycadu Santhikavadam with state honours.