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As the names – Maria Tariq Ziyad Al-Sheikh Ali, Fatima Mutasim Amin Nawfal, Mohammed Khaled Mohammed Matar – of the children killed in Gaza, echoed through Vatika Park in Palakkad, grief hung heavy in the air. One hundred voices took turns reading 1,497 names of children killed in Gaza, each name a life cut short, each pause a moment of collective mourning.
According to latest reports, at least 67,211 people, including 20,179 children have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
Participants from diverse backgrounds stood witness, giving voice to those silenced by war at the event, 'Names of Gaza,' organised by the Chintha Ravi Foundation and allied organisations at Palakkad Fort on Saturday, October 11. The names were read out by 100 individuals from different walks of life.
The event began with a question by TR Ajayan, the chairman of the solidarity program: “Why do we care about the people dying in Gaza?” he said, quoting lines of a famous Malayalam poem by NV Krishna Warrier, poet and literary scholar in Kerala. The lines roughly mean, "wherever a man’s hand is bound with a restraint, my hands will hurt; wherever there is oppression, that weight presses on my body”.
“We Malayalis didn’t experience war; for us, war is something we have only heard of. However, the videos shown here should give you an understanding of the horrors of Gaza. Now there is a ceasefire. But who will answer those people who lost their loved ones?,” Ajayan asked while addressing the crowd.
Speaking at the event, CP Pramod, the leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], said the genocide in Gaza has shocked the world. “Their situation is inexpressible,” he said, remembering thousands who have been killed.
Lalitha Madhu, Vanitha Sahithi’s district president, who led a 20-member women's team who performed at the venue said they hold Gaza’s sorrow in their hearts. “The situation in Gaza has been haunting us. So, this is an event to express our protest,” she added. Members of Vanitha Sahithi, a leftist cultural activist group of women, presented events including dance, songs and skits which had Gaza as theme.
The venue had an exhibition of photographs depicting Israel’s cruelty and the situation in Gaza. A painting by Sreeja Pallam on Gaza was also on display.
Prominent artists from Palakkad also did live paintings at the venue. “Many children lost their lives in the war. We are trying to depict what we recall when we think about Gaza,” said LRP Kumar, a retired police officer, who attended the event as an artist.
Another program, a drawing workshop for children led by artist PS Jalaja, was also organised. ”Most of the children don't understand what genocide or war really IS because they are young. What they are drawing reflects their happiness, including the park, colours, pets, and flowers. All of this is lost to the children of Gaza,” Jalaja told TNM. The drawings were displayed at the venue.