Malabar Literature Festival, a four-day event celebrating literature, music and the culture of Malabar, began on the Kozhikode beach on Thursday evening.
Opening the event, Panakkad Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal, Indian Union Muslim League State president, said Malabar and Kozhikode had a unique distinction in history as it promoted cultural exchange between local people and those who came here for trade. “The Arabs came here for trade. But they later spread India’s literature and culture across the globe too. A heart-warming bond existed between us and them. I doubt if any other coast had such a beautiful relationship between local people and those who came there,” the Thangal said. He added that the UNESCO designating Kozhikode as a ‘City of Literature’ was a tribute to its culture of social inclusiveness.
Writer Subhash Chandran delivered the keynote address. Panakkad Syed Munavvarali Shihab Thangal, festival chairperson, and M.B. Manoj were present.
The organisers claimed that the festival was an attempt to re-read Malayalam literature from Malabar’s perspective. Around 70 sessions would highlight the communities in this region, their culture, literature, history, languages, and travels. Sea would be the theme of the festival this time with at least nine sessions devoted to it.
As many as 300 guests, including Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Kanimozhi, would participate in discussions. The other participants include M.H. Ilyas, Nishat Zaidi, T.T. Sreekumar, T.D. Ramakrishnan, S. Joseph, P. Raman, S. Hareesh, and Unni R., among others. Academic Christophe Jaffrelot is expected to attend a session online. Malabar’s historical links with places such as Lakshadweep, Kayalpattinam in Tamil Nadu, and countries in Africa would be debated. The Israeli attack on Gaza would be discussed too along with the literature scene in Palestine.
