The heritage village of Aranmula is all set to celebrate the 84th birthday of its famous native G. Sugathakumari, whose role as an environmentalist has received much attention and whose poetry has made a mark in the literary milieu of the State.
Come Wednesday, Sugathakumari celebrates her birth star — Aswathi — that falls in the Malayalam month of Makarom. Ms. Sugathakumari will be reaching her ancestral home of Vazhuvelil Tharavadu, located close to the famous Sree Parthasarathy temple at Aranmula, on Wednesday morning. In her own words, she will be at the village “to be in the lap of Mother Nature, once again.”
The poet, who was one of those who successfully steered an all-party non-violent popular movement to protect the puncha (paddy lands), sacred groves, and the Pampa from corporate invasion, is known for her commitment to protect the nature. Wherever she be, Ms. Sugathakumari always had a special place for her native village, whose ethos and character she very deeply knew.
Thanks to her and many others, the Aranmula puncha has once again started resonating with harvest songs of perky farm workers. Her struggle helped bring back the biodiversity-rich puncha, which houses a network of streams and sacred groves. The National Green Tribunal and other judicial bodies sensed the plea of the popular panel chaired by the poet opposing the controversial Aranmula airport project.
The peasants of Aranmula have started cultivation in not less than 250 ha of paddy fields there. Her resolve to protect the Aranmula puncha was similar to her historic struggle to save the Silent Valley four decades ago.
On Wednesday, the womenfolk of Aranmula, who were the backbone of the successful anti-airport stir, will receive the poet, whom they affectionately call ‘Sugatha Chechi,’ singing hymns in praise of Lord Krishna, aka Parthasarathy. The Pouravali of Aranmula will accord a rousing reception to the poet at a specially prepared venue in the courtyard of the Vazhuvelil Tharavadu.
The people of Aranmula will also plant 84 saplings in the courtyard as their birthday gift to the poet. Each sapling will be named after a poem of Ms Sugathakumari. Many prominent personalities are expected to address the function. Recital of Ms Sugathakumari's poems will also be held as part of the function. The event will come to a close with distribution of ‘paalpayasom’ offered to the deity at the Aranmula temple.
