Vylalil House at Beypore on Friday, as always, resembled a beehive, with people thickly packed in its courtyard, some squeezing their way in and out. At the centre of the activities was the Basheer household, including his children and grandchildren, commemorating him on his 25th death anniversary.
Writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair, who was the guest of honour on the occasion, said his association and friendship with Basheer was the greatest gift of his life. Writer and filmmaker Madhupal noted how fresh the memories of Basheer were among the people, the gathering at the house being the best proof. “We will remember Basheer as long as the Malayalam language exists,” he said.
Writer-orator M.P. Abdusamad Samadani noted that Basheer was a hot favourite with even budding readers, at a time when book reading is diminishing. “His influence transcends age groups,” he said, adding that Basheer’s phrases and usages created a virtual dictionary of colloquial Malayalam.
The greatest addition at Vylalil on the 25th death anniversary of the writer is a Smrithi Vanam, constituted by 25 saplings in the backyard. MT handed over the first sapling to Anees and Shahina, children of Basheer, to mark the launch of Smrithi Vanam and later planted a sapling.
A large number of visitors had brought many mementos and artifacts to be kept at the Basheer Museum at Vylalil.
The Basheer Museum, inside one room of the house, overflows with caricatures and paintings of the writer. “Unless the government sets up a separate Basheer Museum in Kozhikode, we will be pushed out of this house,” Anees Basheer said.
Ravi DeeCee, managing director, DC Books, was present.