Mambazhakalam, the summer camp for children, is set to wind up in a day, and the participants are bent on eking out the maximum fun out of the proceedings at the Vyloppili Samskrithi Bhavan.
On Friday, actor Maniyanpilla Raju had a lively interaction with them. Some wanted to know why he chose Maniyanpilla Raju as his screen name though his real name was Sudheer Kumar. Mr. Raju said that while his parents called him Raju, the name Maniyanpilla stuck after his role in the film Maniyanpilla Adhava Maniyanpilla . After the session, the children followed the actor all the way to his car, seeking his autograph. He obliged all.
The group wanted to know whom they were going to meet next and were told that a team under dramatist Kavalam Narayana Panicker would perform before them. The children seemed to relish the opportunity to meet celebrities and interact with them, terming it a huge plus of such camps. “We were lucky to meet Governor Nikhil Kumar and on Thursday, we met Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. He gave us cakes. Despite their busy schedule, they were willing to spend time with us,” said 11-year-old Tintu Mariam Thomas.
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The children were also excited about meeting this year’s Civil Services examination topper Haritha V. Kumar, who shared her success story with them.
“We enjoyed the session with her and magician Gopinath Muthukad. He planted a mango seed in a plastic cover with the help of Haritha and it transformed into a young sapling. We planted it together in the garden and named it ‘Haritha mavu’,” said Seira.
“It’s all going to end in two days,” she added, unable to hide her disappointment as she headed back to the summer camp.
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The camp will conclude on May 11.