Students of Government Upper Primary School, Sreevarahom, undertook a unique journey recently through some of the places mentioned in pioneering Malayalam novelist C.V. Raman Pillai’s novel ‘Marthanda Varma’.
A documentary made by the students of their visits to these locations is their way of honouring the writer whose 101st death anniversary falls on Tuesday.
On Monday, the documentary ‘Marthanda Varma–CV Thelicha Vazhikalilude’ was released by C.V. Raman Pillai’s granddaughter Sushila Bayi at Rosscote Bungalow, Vazhuthacaud, where he wrote most of his works.
Incidentally, Government Upper Primary School, Sreevarahom, is not far from the place in West Fort where C.V. Raman Pillai was born and grew up.
The novel set in Tamil Nadu and Kerala has 26 chapters. As Class 7 students have to study the first chapter of Marthanda Varma in school, they undertook the journey to over 20 places and made the 15-minute documentary as part of the the school’s Pusthakayatra programme. It was the students’ desire to see the Panchavankadu mentioned in the chapter that paved the way for their exploratory trip and the documentary.
The Charode palace in Tamil Nadu mentioned in the novel has almost disappeared but its remains can still be found. Parts of a tunnel from Padmanabhapuram Palace to Charode palace were also found. The students also point out the changes that the places mentioned in the novel saw over the years.
