KANNUR: In 1934, as the nationalist movement gathered pace, a group of young Congressmen in Mayyil, Kannur, established a public library with the vision to inspire the youth with ideals of nationalism and independence.
The Velam Pothujana Vayanasala quickly became a hub for both the nationalist and communist movements, drawing the close scrutiny of police. Despite persistent efforts by authorities to close it down, the library has endured nearly a century of challenges and is now celebrating its 90th anniversary. Today, it remains a vibrant part of the Mayyil community, hosting numerous cultural events that draw strong participation from residents.
The vayanasala has a storied history of resisting fascist groups.
“Between 1946 and 1950, an extermination effort was undertaken with the support of the Malabar Special Police (MSP) camps in Velam and Kottayad. The building was badly damaged, equipment and documents were burned, and library officials were falsely accused and jailed. When the camps were eventually withdrawn, the community regrouped, repaired the library, and restored operations,” pointed out Laxmanan U, president of the vayanasala.
“But this peace was short-lived. In 1950, the police again set up camp, this time at a local school, and under their leadership, the reading room was set on fire. The attackers didn’t even spare the building’s walls. After this wave of violence, library activities slowed down for a couple of years. In 1952, however, the Communist Party called a community meeting, formed a library building committee, and resumed reconstruction,” Laxmanan added.
“Thanks to the dedicated work of the management committee, the building committee, community members, and CPM party workers, the library as it stands today was completed in 1974, with government support of `4,815. Comrade M P Gopalan, an early CPM martyr, was among the library’s first activists,” he said.
Besides the library, Velam Pothujana Vayanasala has various arts and sports divisions. Since 1975, it has been training students in volleyball, with Kalaripayattu added to the mix this year. Since 2017, the library has hosted an annual drama festival in honour of theatre legend O Madhavan.
“For the people of Mayyil, the festival has become a true celebration of the library’s history and spirit. Except for an annual contribution from the library council, all the expenses for both the theatre fest and the functioning of the library are met by the people of Mayyil,” Laxmanan said, reflecting on the eight-year tradition.