The gathering at Vatika, Palakkad, in solidarity with Palestine on Saturday evening.
Palakkad’s cultural community united at Vatika garden here on Saturday (October 11, 2025) evening to show solidarity with Palestine. Prominent figures from the town’s social, cultural, political and artistic circles came together to read aloud the names of children killed in Gaza.
The event featured a variety of performances: sketches telling Palestinian struggles, poetry recitals and plays depicting Gaza’s plight under Israeli conflict.
It was part of the ‘Names of Gaza’ initiative, a State-wide condemnation programme, where participants read aloud names of 1,500 children allegedly killed in Gaza. Israel is blamed for the killings of as many as 18,000 children in Gaza.
Organising committee chairman T.R. Ajayan introduced the session stressing the importance of condemning Israel’s “genocidal aggression”. Kathakali artist Kalamandalam Sivan Namboodiri, writers T.K. Sankaranarayanan, P.A. Vasudevan, K.N. Sukumaran, T.K. Narayanadas, K. Mohandas, C. Somasekharan, C.P. Chitrabhanu and C.P. Chitra led the cultural sphere in reading out the names of child victims.
Among politicians who read out the names were A. Prabhakaran, MLA; K. Santhakumari, MLA; K.D. Prasenan, MLA; K. Premkumar, MLA; K. Babu, MLA; P.P. Sumod, MLA; P. Mammikutty, MLA; K. Binumol, E.N. Suresh Babu, C.K. Rajendran, K.P. Suresh Raj and Sumalata Mohandas.
The others who read out the names included T.K. Noushad, Nitin Kanicheri, Janardhanan Pudusseri, M.C. Gangadharan, Boban Mattumantha, Gireesh Nochulli, Sabari Gireesh and Rajesh Menon.
As many as 40 photographs depicting Israeli cruelties and the pathetic situation of Palestine were on display. Artistes like Sreeja Pallam, P.S. Jalaja, Ramanan, Durga Malati, Chayanathan, Unnikrishnan Nenmara, Kannan Image, Joby Chittur, Priya Sreelatha, V.R. Sivadas, Arya P., Sreevalsan, Sarundas and Sivan Kavalappara painted live to express their feelings about Palestine.
School children also drew live on Palestine as part of the programme. Organising committee general convener C.P. Pramod welcomed the gathering. Prasad Mathew proposed a vote of thanks.
Published – October 11, 2025 08:56 pm IST
