On Monday, two generations of Congress party leaders and activists in Ernakulam met at Mas Hotel auditorium, for one last time.
The evening and the meeting place was soaked in nostalgia for senior Congress leaders as this was their favourite gathering space which played host to several politically strategic and historic meetings.
The building will soon be razed, leaving behind some fond memories for the political activists of the city.
Senior congress leaders who had a Kochi connect to their personal and political lives, including Vayalar Ravi, K.V. Thomas, MPs; V.D. Satheesan, MLA; K.M.I Mather, K. Babu, and N. Venugopal, and senior trade unionist M.M. Lawrence, shared their memories associated with the hall located near the Ernakulam Town railway station.
The event was hosted by the Mather family.
In his message, Congress Working Committee member A. K. Antony recollected the political events that unfolded there.
It was K.C.M. Mather who built the building in 1950. The building was later renamed as Mas in 1964. The place was also frequented by a few Chief Ministers of the State.
The reception committee of the All India Congress Committee meeting held in Kochi also functioned from this building. Congress leaders Benny Behannan, Dominic Presentation, Mayor Soumini Jain, Hibi Eden, MLA, senior journalist P.N. Prasannakumar, former Mayor Tony Chammany and Youth Congress leader Jebi Mather were among those who attended.
