A retreat by the Vavvamoola Lake

Every few days, Vavvamoola Lake, one of the serene corners of the city, becomes a beehive of cultural activity, song, dance, drums, art and craft et. al. It’s all thanks to a group of youngsters from in and around Vavvamoola who have taken it upon themselves to turn this picturesque strip of road, bordered by the lake on one side and marshes on the other, into a hip and happening cultural space à la Manaveeyam Veedhi in the city. They call the space ‘Kayalile Kalakaran.’ Just like the name, “it’s a lakeside retreat where anyone can come and let their creativity flow, in tune with the environment, of course,” says Vivek Nair, 25, an assistant cameraman by profession and the brains behind the venture.

Any day of the week, drive along the back road (just off the Muttakad-Venganoor road) and you will see pretty glass bottles and jars filled with water in bright hues, hanging from the boughs of trees that line the route, each of them gently swaying in the breeze. When Kayalile Kalakaran is in session, out comes the decor — guppy fish merrily swimming around and in glass bottles, some of which are mounted on repurposed wooden frames, myriad paintings (including a new portrait of late musician Balabhaskar), painted either by Job, Joel or Amjith, some of the other youngsters in the group, a painted vase, light bulb and an old lamp, African drums, knick-knacks, birdhouses and, the piece de resistance, the one that started it all, a bookshelf crammed with novels and magazines, modelled on the free library concept, where patrons can read and exchange books.

“I decided to start Kayalile Kalakaran because I wanted to encourage reading. A lot of my friends and peers spend all their time on social media and very little time reading books and I wanted to try and change that,” says Vivek. “Initially, we faced a lot of ridicule but slowly, people started seeing the potential of the place and began chipping in with books, scrap materials, ideas and support,” he adds.

Picturesque setting

Vavvamoola has long been a photographer’s paradise thanks to its scenic beauty. A few years ago, the local panchayat built some concrete benches by the lakeside and started a tourist boating venture as well from the local pump house and it became a tourist destination in itself, albeit lesser well-known than Kakkamoola nearby, which is adjacent to Vellayani lake. “It’s really become the perfect place to chill out and read. We started by putting up a shelf with books donated by various people. It’s only been 17 weeks and Kayalile Kalakaran has blossomed organically into a social space, ideal for meet-ups. We have now taken on the larger dream of showcasing and promoting local talent as well,” explains Vivek.

In the evening, especially Sundays, there are performances, some of them impromptu, thanks to the drums and a karaoke system, and some by invitation. Over the past several weeks, they have conducted shinkarimelam, a violin concert, a ganamela of folk songs and even Kathakali and Ottanthullal performances. “We spend money out of our own pockets to rent generators and stereo equipment on performance days, for example. Many of the artistes we feature are those who live in the locality and they are always game to perform sans remuneration. In the long run, we are hoping to get the larger community involved in the space,” says Vivek.

Patrons can figure out what’s happening at the venue from the Kayalile Kalakaran Facebook page. “It takes about an hour each day to set it all up. Most of us have jobs, which makes it difficult to run Kayalile Kalakaran on a day-to-day basis. When it’s on, we begin by about 9 am and we are here only till sundown, because there are no street lights here,” says Vivek.

The groups’ motto is sustainability. They mostly use scrap materials for the decor. For example, reusable glass bottles for fish tanks, driftwood for the signboard, leftover plywood for paintings, reclaimed ceramics and wooden door/window frames, locally-sourced coir and the like. They also have a lot of plans in store for the space. On the anvil is a garden on the opposite side of the road and a children’s play area.

For Kayalile Kalakaran days and timings, check their Facebook page.