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Kerala News

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Kerala / The New Indian Express

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Kerala's Karadukka bids farewell to beloved stage with drama, dance and tears

KASARAGOD: It looked like a usual cultural event. Children performed skit and dance on stage amid applause. However, for the performers and spectators, it was an emotional moment a final farewell to something that had been a part of their lives for nearly half a century. News that the stage in their locality would be demolished for the construction of the building of Government Vocational Higher Secondary School had come as a huge shock to the residents of Kadakam in Kasaragods Karadukka village. The structure was conceived and built in 1977-78 by youngsters from Kadakam Friends Combine (KFC), an arts club in the area, and was used to host occasional cultural events in the village, recalled Vijayan Kadakam, a retired bank manager. People would make the roof with palm trees and tarpaulin covers whenever an art festival was planned. The actual roof was built later, after some decades, he said. I was part of the club then. The cultural festivals meant a lot for us those days, said Vijayan, who proposed arranging a farewell for the stage that had been a constant in their lives. Suresh Kumar, the PTA president of the school, said the stage had become a hindrance for the new school building that was being constructed using KIIFB funds. The contractor said it had to demolished without delay, he said. The stage was where many school programmes were performed. Skits prepared by residents and others were performed here too. Even some renowned theatre artists like N Sasidharan staged their plays here, Suresh said. Many budding artists from the region owe their start to the stage. Hence, they wanted to give it a fitting farewell, he said. The residents said if they had time, they would have conducted a larger art festival. However, restrictions owing to the local body elections limited their plans. As the last performance, the school students were asked to perform some dances, a skit and a candle-light ceremony. We are bidding an emotional farewell to our beloved stage, said Vijayan. KFC, the club, will look for a suitable spot to construct another stage. For now, its curtains down.

3 Dec 2025 7:26 am