Sixty years of Mathilukal marked with a wall of love
A wall shaped in the figure of '60' was formed on the school ground, extending all the way to the school entrance as a visual tribute. Students, local representatives, teachers, Block Resource Centre (BRC) officials, non-teaching staff, alumni, auto-rickshaw drivers, local residents and parents came together to form a living, symbolic wall, honouring the spirit of unity and love Basheer so passionately wrote about. Besides, the commemoration took place beneath a tree in the school courtyard – symbolic of Basheer's deep love for nature and living beings.
The novel was first published in book form in 1965. Notably, it remains the only novel Basheer wrote entirely in Thiruvananthapuram. A handwritten manuscript of the work, originally penned for the Kaumudi weekly in 1964, was lost. This prompted Basheer to rewrite the entire story in just ten days, according to said historian M.G. Sasibhooshan.
Karamana ward councillor Manju G.S. inaugurated the event. PTA president Ranjith S. presided over the function. Karamana station house officer Anoop S., school principal Bilu V.B., and vice principal Mini V. also spoke.
The school has planned a year-long of events, including novel readings, literary gatherings, literary journeys and an inter-school Basheer quiz competition.
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Time of India
05-07-2025
- Time of India
A Divine satirist
Basheer's irreverent humour, spiritual depth and unwavering humanist vision remain strikingly relevant—offering a luminous counterpoint to the discord of our polarized world The Sacred, the Silly & the Sublime By: Dr Azeez Tharuvana Vaikom Muhammad Basheer's works form a rich treasure mine—each reading reveals new layers of meaning that resonate with our times. Shabdangal (Voices) exemplifies this, especially relevant amid global wars, refugee crises and the search for human connection. Though short, the novel raises profound questions, like this conversation: 'Everyone has a philosophy for life. I try to live by mine.' 'I don't have a philosophy. Maybe because I don't feel connected to anyone?' 'But you do—you're connected to everyone.' 'What relationship?' 'Do you have a navel? It connects you to your mother—even if you never knew her… In the end, all of us are connected.' Basheer boldly explored themes like gender identity and the struggles of transgender individuals—topics still finding space in public discussion today. At the time, many conservative critics were shocked, but modern readers recognize his intent: To open up unfamiliar, often uncomfortable worlds to the Malayali imagination. His wide travels and deep empathy for the poor gave him a rare sensitivity. For Basheer, experience was everything. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Living with Sufis and mystics, working various jobs, and meeting people on society's fringes—hijras, male sex workers—he realized that life's truths came from lived realities. Phrases like 'Anal Haq' (I am the Truth) and 'Aham Brahmasmi' (I am the Brahma) shaped his spiritual worldview. He saw that organized religion often demanded blind submission. He believed so-called sinners and criminals were often just people who had lost their way seeking peace, dignity and redemption. From this emerged a new kind of spirituality—one that embraced compassion over dogma and change over obedience. Like in the story Bhoomiyude Avakaashikal (The Inheritors of the Earth), animals and birds appear frequently in Basheer's work. Long before environmental themes became common in Malayalam literature, Basheer was already weaving thoughts about nature and the environment into his stories. These early glimpses of ecological awareness reflect the depth of Basheer's philosophical thinking—a belief in the unity and sacredness of all living things. This is the philosophy of oneness that flows through all of Basheer's writing—a gentle, powerful consciousness that sees the whole universe as connected. His language—simple, direct and full of life—was unlike anything in Malayalam literature. As MN Vijayan said: 'He sang playful tunes to his deepest sorrows… He reminded us, 'I am my language.'' He stretched and reshaped the language, giving it new life. In fact, long before Dalit and feminist writers began questioning the limits of language, Basheer had already done so. He coined Lodkus Akhaya and Palungusan Vyakarana to poke fun at scholars but though some claimed he ignored grammar, Basheer in fact mastered and reshaped language with care and intention. Balyakalasakhi was a 500-page manuscript trimmed into a timeless 80-page classic. His works remain fresh because they can be read through many lenses—social, emotional, political, spiritual. At their core, they celebrate love, compassion, and unity. Basheer's spirituality transcended religion. He believed in a divine spirit that connected all beings. This gave rise to a a certain intensity, a kind of madness. His mind often wandered along the thin line between mysticism and what others might call the abnormal. His creativity flowed from this unique space—where spiritual insight and unconventional thoughts lived side by side. In a letter from a mental hospital, he wrote: 'I tried to understand everything… life, death… Is God a human idea? I believed—God exists. Call Him Allah, Khuda, or Lord—Allah exists…' To truly understand Basheer, we must open our hearts to the wide, tender world he saw so clearly. (The writer is assistant professor and HOD, Malayalam dept, Farook College)
The Hindu
04-07-2025
- The Hindu
Sixty years of Mathilukal marked with a wall of love
Sixty years have passed since the publication of legendary writer Vaikom Mohammad Basheer's celebrated novel Mathilukal (walls). To commemorate this literary milestone, the students and faculty of Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Karamana, constructed a symbolic 'Wall of Love' on the school grounds on the eve of the writer's death anniversary on Friday. A wall shaped in the figure of '60' was formed on the school ground, extending all the way to the school entrance as a visual tribute. Students, local representatives, teachers, Block Resource Centre (BRC) officials, non-teaching staff, alumni, auto-rickshaw drivers, local residents and parents came together to form a living, symbolic wall, honouring the spirit of unity and love Basheer so passionately wrote about. Besides, the commemoration took place beneath a tree in the school courtyard – symbolic of Basheer's deep love for nature and living beings. The novel was first published in book form in 1965. Notably, it remains the only novel Basheer wrote entirely in Thiruvananthapuram. A handwritten manuscript of the work, originally penned for the Kaumudi weekly in 1964, was lost. This prompted Basheer to rewrite the entire story in just ten days, according to said historian M.G. Sasibhooshan. Karamana ward councillor Manju G.S. inaugurated the event. PTA president Ranjith S. presided over the function. Karamana station house officer Anoop S., school principal Bilu V.B., and vice principal Mini V. also spoke. The school has planned a year-long of events, including novel readings, literary gatherings, literary journeys and an inter-school Basheer quiz competition.
The Hindu
26-06-2025
- The Hindu
35 students from government schools in Tiruchi clear NEET
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