Payyannur-based organisation offers a glimpse of Railways’ history

Railway passengers can now experience the local history of Kannur and railway history now etched on the parapets of the entry and exit approaches of the Kannur railway station’s main concourse under a beautification project initiated by a Payyannur-based organisation promoting cultural conservation.

The relief murals sculpted on the parapet walls by a group of 14 artists, headed by K.R. Babu and curated by V. Jayaraj of Folkland, an organisation promoting conservation, reflect the tradition of the region and offer a glimpse of the history of Railways as expressed artistically.

Art works

The art works done by the artists occupy an area of 5,000 square feet depicting cultural landmarks, village life, activities inside the railway station and evolution of trains.

“This artistic and cultural initiative is meant to serve as an art gallery that can be a cultural experience to people reaching the railway station,” Mr. Jayaraj told The Hindu. The work depicting the heritage was done in collaboration with the corporate social responsibility fund of the Mumbai-based Dorf Ketal company, he added.

The cultural history visually narrated by the relief murals captures the Theyyam, Kalaripayattu, circus and bakery traditions of the district, as also art forms such as Oppana and Margamkali.

The works that deck the walls also include rural activities such as weaving, pottery, oil expeller work, goldsmiths and blacksmiths at work, among others. Railway vendors and porters, railway platforms, steam engines, diesel engines and electric engines are among the mural relief images done on the walls of the entry approach to the station.

Work in six stages

“The relief mural works have been done in six stages, the first stage being drawing on paper the ideas prepared by artist K.K. Marar, Mr. Jayaraj and myself,” said Mr. Babu, who had also done relief mural works in the Kannur international airport.

Golden paint

Those drawings were converted into 3D forms on the walls using cement and they were finally coated with golden paint, he said.

The relief murals, completed in less than two months, were opened to the public by Southern Railway General Manager R.K. Kulshrestha during his visit to the Kannur railway station on Tuesday.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Mohamed Nazeer / Kannur – February 19th, 2019