Poonkudil Mana, a reputed Namboothiri home well known for traditional treatment of mental illness in Malabar, had one of the most memorable nights on Saturday. The courtyard of Poonkudil Mana at Vallikkapatta near Manjeri was witness to a confluence of communal harmony through art.
A host of artistes from different backgrounds gathered at the Mana and spent the whole night unleashing their talents in such a way as to reassert that art was beyond all boundaries of social divisions. “It was a gathering of people who raised the standards of humanity,” said T.P. Ramachandran, socialite-lawyer who was at the forefront of organising the night-long event titled Mazhanilavu.
When a group of musicians led by Muhsin Kurikkal enthralled the gathering with their ghazal songs, dancers Ajeesh Chennai and Karthika Narayanan mesmerised the Mana with their Bharatnatyam performance. Ajeesh is one of the few Muslim dancers who excel in both Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi.
