A hotel at Kottakkal witnessed a special gathering of 80-odd people on Monday. The gathering turned to be special because all of them had the same name.
They called it the Meet of Faizals. It was the first eponymous gathering of people having the name Faizal in Kerala. Two months ago, a similar gathering had taken place in Dubai when Keralites with the name Faizal working across the United Arab Emirates met over an Iftar and decided to strengthen their unity.
The Kottakkal meeting was organised as a follow-up of the Dubai event.
The Faizal event was inspired by similar ventures initiated by Hamzas and Ashrafs in different parts of Malabar.
When hundreds of men with the name Hamza had met at Malappuram, people named Ashraf chose to meet at Kozhikode. Faizals gathered at Kottakkal because it was a central point for many Faizals of Malappuram district. They chose to meet in July as many Faizals working in the Gulf were back home on vacation.
Mappilapattu critic Faizal Elettil inaugurated the gathering. Faizal Aranya presided over the function. Faizal Bin Ahamed welcomed the gathering.
Among those who spoke were Tirunavaya grama panchayat president Faizal Edassery, Faizal Koroth, Faizal Tahani, K.T. Faizal, Faizal Changaramkulam, Faizal Madeena, Faizal Kappal, C.M.T. Faizal, Faizal Beeran, Faizal Chierakkal, Faizal Babu and Faizal Ayirodi.
Faizal Tahani presented a vision document for 2020 describing the programmes for the Faizal collective. Faizal P.K.C. proposed a vote of thanks.
