KOCHI: Celebrated Malayalam poets Changampuzha Krishna Pillai and his dear friend Edappally Raghavan Pillai used to discuss their works in one of the thatched rooms opposite Government Teachers’ Training Institute building in Edappally. Seventy years later, the walls of the institute now portray the story of the immortal Malayalam classic Ramanan penned by Changampuzha.
A mural, almost 100 feet long and 6 feet tall, has been painted on the walls of the institute. Artist Balakrishnan Kadirur, with the help of artist Hari P K Padivattom and Malayalam teacher Vishnu Raj, elaborated the pastoral elegy, originally published in three parts, through 14 frames.
The location of the painting is pivotal as it is created in the place where Changampuzha grew up. The location also lies near the Changampuzha Cultural Centre, Changampuzha Samadhi and Changampuzha Smaraka Grandhasala.
“When we started brainstorming about what to create for the institute’s platinum jubilee celebration, Ramanan emerged as the apt idea. For people can relate to the work as well as the place easily. The concept was formed way back in 2019. However, we couldn’t complete it due to the pandemic,” says Balakrishnan, a former teacher at the institute.
“Now, we dedicate the mural to the people,” he adds. Balakrishnan, who hails from Thalassery, is also a professional artist. The mural showcases the story of Ramanan in minimal colours. Instead of splashing multiple colours, the artists intentionally and predominantly used a rust hue to get the feel of the bygone era. “We purposefully avoided brighter shades as the story is a classic. Burnt sienna and black are the major colours,” says Balakrishnan.
The mural highlights a rope connecting each frame depicting the tragic death of Ramanan, as he hangs himself on a tree at the hilltop where he used to meet Chandrika. The artist also mentioned the cooperation of neighbouring people, local leaders, and daily wage labourers while setting up the mural. “This indicates the people’s affection towards the poem and the poet,” he adds. MLA Uma Thomas inaugurated the mural at a public function on Wednesday.