16th IFFK misses the bard of the streets

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The flight of steps in front of the Kairali theatre in the city had seen the ‘Bard of the streets’ A Ayyappan on one of them until the 14th International Film Festival of Kerala. Surrounded by many of his aficionados, they had recited his poems intensely rooted in romance, poverty and lost innocence which were the clarion call for social change.      Now the same place is witnessing a great mission initiated by  ‘Ayyappan Smaraka Samithi’ in the city to revive and retain the memories of the late poet.  In the foyer of the Kairali theatre, a desk started functioning from Saturday onwards for the lovers of his poetry to join the campaign by signing post cards which will be sent to the Minister for Cultural Affairs for raising a memorial for the poet.   “The Samithi is demanding that the government should declare ‘Ayyappankallu’, a place on the premises of the State Central Library near Palayam where the poet used to sit and relax, as his memorial. In future, it can be a spot to conduct literary programmes and cultural evenings,” says D P Das, convener of the Samithi. Ten thousand signed post cards collected through the campaign are to be sent to the Minister in this regard. “Many who come here and sign the post cards would donate money for the campaign for their love towards the poet,” says Gireesh Gopinath, a member of the Samithi.   Those closely associated with Ayyappan say that though he had been there on the steps since the inception of the festival in the city, he was not found inside the cine-halls for the purpose of watching a movie. The previous edition of the festival saw many who called themselves an ‘incarnation’ of the poet loitering on the surroundings of the theatre claiming to be ‘Ayyappan II’. This time also, quite a few have attempted to be so and came inebriated and sang lot many poems. “Yet, can they be placed on the venerable seat of our beloved poet”? asks one of his followers. The litterateur, who had as many as 2,000 poems to his credit, breathed his last in the city in 2010, after being found lying unconscious by the wayside.