A ‘wall’ of protest on Manaveeyam Veedhi

A human wall in which a large number of people took part was formed near the Keltron compound wall. This was followed by a short play by Thrissur-based C.R. Rajan and Hari.

Saving the wall:Lenin Rajendran, Paul Zachariah, and Adoor Gopalakrishnan leading a human chain organised by the Manaveeyam Theruvorakkoottam on Sunday against the move by the Kerala Water Authority to demolish one side wall and to install a new gate in to the Veedhi.

A cultural meeting and a human wall on the Manaveeyam Veedhi on Sunday evening saw film-makers Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Lenin Rajendran, and writer Paul Zachariah turn up to protest against the breaking down of a compound wall and cutting down of trees by the Kerala Water Authority to build an entrance from the Veedhi side to the authority’s premises.

The artistes called for development of the street as a permanent cultural venue. They wanted the government to take the initiative to retain it as a public space and prevent its use for parking or other purposes so that cultural activities could be held here every day. The Veedhi had been a platform for showcasing various art forms for the past 15 years, they said.

A human wall in which a large number of people took part was formed near the Keltron compound wall. This was followed by a short play by Thrissur-based C.R. Rajan and Hari. A mime performance on a football match by the Trivandrum Mimers was next. Manaveeyam Theruvorakoottam then put a folk song performance.