This week, the oldest school in the State will play host to a series of events chronicling the history of Kozhikode city, dealing with in detail its hospitable culture, culinary specialities, affection for football and music, vibrant culture, and communal harmony.
‘Khalbile Kozhikode, the land of values’, includes exhibition of old photographs and artefacts on the city, debates, heritage walks, story-telling sessions, and a food festival, to be held at St. Joseph’s Boys’ Higher Secondary School from January 18 to 24. It is jointly organised by the District Tourism Promotion Council and the museum committee of the school.
Anoop Gangadharan, an alumnus of the school, who is also the curator of the event, told The Hindu on Monday that the 225-year-old school was recently declared the oldest in the State through a Right to Information Act query. Though the school was celebrating its anniversary on its own, public participation was very limited.
Khalbile Kozhikode was conceived in a bid to involve people too in the process where the history of the city too could be documented. As the district administration was showcasing Kozhikode as the ‘city of values’, they too evinced interest in it. The main highlight of the event will be a session on the values of Kozhikode, at the courtyard of the school between 4.30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Historian M.G.S. Narayanan and artist Kabitha Mukhopadhya will participate in the session on hospitality on January 18.
M.K. Muneer, MLA, lyricist and music director Kaithapram Damodaran Namboodiri, actors Mamukkoya, Vinod Kovoor and Joy Mathew, and Mathrubhumi managing director M.P. Veerendra Kumar among others, are expected to address the other sessions.
The photo exhibition at the library hall will showcase pictures taken by veterans P. Musthafa and Punalur Rajan. The heritage walk for students will cover the heritage streets around the school from 7 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. At the food festival to be arranged at the courtyard of the school between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., traditional delicacies will be on the platter.
