KOZHIKODE: No fewer than 431 Malayalis living in the US wait daily for WhatsApp group, Vayanamuri to read and discuss Malayalam text. The parents make their wards read the Malayalam text, participate in the contest based on the text and enthusiastically discuss the same.
An initiative of Darshanam cultural collective at Kalandithazham here, Vayanamuri was rolled out on August 15 last year to promote creative activities online, when the people had been confined indoors in the wake of the first COVID wave.
Since then, there was no looking back and now there are 17 Vayanamuri groups on WhatsApp comprising more than 4,000 people, mostly students, including those in the US as well. The first US group, exclusively meant for Malayalis on the American mainland, was started on November 1 Kerala Formation Day last year.
After the group was filled in no time, a second one was formed. "US Malayalis show greater inclination towards Malayalam than their counterparts back home in Kerala. Perhaps, the parents want to ensure that their children do not lose their familiarity with Malayalam," says K Sunil Kumar, Darshanam president.
PDF texts of short stories, children's literature, article in mobile reader- friendly format are being supplied to the group daily. In the evening, there will be a questionnaire based on the text and the top scorer of the day is chosen the 'Dinatharakam'.
"We will dispatch author signed Malayalam books to Dinatharakam winners. Once the cargo movement resumes, the books will be dispatched to the US," said MA Johnson, Darshanam secretary. To discuss the text supplied, there is another group, 'Pusthaka Samvaadam'.
"There are housewives in the US who do not miss Vayanamuri even for a single day," says KK Johnson in New York. He is one of the coordinators in the US. Of the remaining groups, five are for English text only, which is meant for students to pick up English and five for children's literature, besides five general groups.
Apart from the text, audio is being made available. "One of the interesting things is that most of the students studying in Malayalam medium here prefer English texts," added MA Johnson.
Anilal Sreenivasan from Chicago told The New Indian Express that Vayanamuri is a special one among the umpteen groups. "It was a huge relief to enjoy literary stuff ranging from prose and poetry to 'Aithihyamala' during the locked down American days. The group propels us towards the mother tongue for a short time in our daily lives, which is precious," he said
The several texts already discussed, include M Mukundan's 'Koottam Thetti Meyunnavar', T Padmanabhan's 'Sathram', Khadeeja Mumtaz's 'Ini Chinnammu Parayatte', KV Mohan Kumar's 'Maayanthuruthu' and a science article, 'Kara Jeevikalilekkulla Parinamam' by Ethiravan Kathiravan. The Darshanam library now boasts of 12,000 titles and it has received A grade from the State Library Council.