A gift wrapped in words: Bookseller to present custom book to guests on son's wedding function

PALAKKAD: In the quiet heart of Koottanad in Palakad district, a bookseller has chosen to mark his son's wedding not with spectacle, but with the silent grace of literature. Kurungattu Valappil Subair, the gentle soul behind the 35-year-old bookstall 'Books and Periodicals', has brought out a special collection of Malayalam short stories titled Sadaram , a book that breathes friendship, gratitude, and the scent of ink from a lifetime among words. The book, a private edition, will be gifted to every family attending the wedding reception on Sunday. The book includes original or specially permitted stories by some of Malayalam literature's popular voices -- T Padmanabhan, Shihabudheen Poythumkadavu, P Surendran, Manoj Jathavedaru, Santhosh Aechikkanam, E Santhosh Kumar, C Ganesh and N Pradeep Kumar. When I shared the idea, every one of them welcomed it warmly, says Subair, who also edited the book. They understood it wasn't just a book, but an extension of my life built on stories, characters, writers and readers. The idea took root when Subair decided that his son Asaf's marriage to Thansi should reflect the values that shaped his own life. Books and literature made me who I am, he says. I hope they do the same for the young couple, may stories guide their journey the way they guided mine. Subair says he has printed 1,000 copies of Sadaram and was formally released by young singer Soorya Shyam Gopal during a concert held at Subair's home on Friday evening. The book includes original or specially permitted stories by some of Malayalam literature's popular voices -- T Padmanabhan, Shihabudheen Poythumkadavu, P Surendran, Manoj Jathavedaru, Santhosh Aechikkanam, E Santhosh Kumar, C Ganesh and N Pradeep Kumar. For decades, Books and Periodicals at Koottanad has been a meeting place for many. Writers dropped in for conversation and readers for comfort. The stall became a point of literature, where fiction and philosophy came together. To those who know Subair, Sadaram feels like a natural continuation of that space -- a book born out of belonging and an experiment, and also a new possibility in the world of publishing. Here, a father is preparing a literary feast for his loved ones on the occasion of his son's wedding, sharing love in the form of a book. What a beautiful idea, said Pradeep Kumar, one of the contributors to Sadaram . When the marriage celebrations get over, the guests will return home with something far more lasting than a wedding souvenir, a piece of literature born from love, printed with gratitude, and gifted with joy. A meaningful trace left behind in a passing world, Subair says, holding a copy of Sadaram close - his eyes reflecting pride and happiness.