Kozhikode’s iconic Mittayi Theruvu witnessed a poignant literary event with the launch of Mangaluru, a novel by Sadiq Kavil that draws inspiration from the lived realities of street life. The venue held special significance as it is the same street immortalised in S.K. Pottekkatt’s celebrated novel Oru Theruvinte Katha.
The book was released beside the statue of S.K. Pottekkatt, symbolically marking a journey from one street to another through literature. The first copy was handed over by Sumithra Jayaprakash, author and daughter of S.K. Pottekkatt, to veteran journalist P.P. Sasindran. Mangaluru is published by Manorama Books.
Addressing the gathering, Sumithra Jayaprakash emphasised that authentic street narratives are born only from lived experiences. She recalled how the characters in her father’s novels were deeply rooted in real people and places. She narrated an incident following his Sahitya Akademi Award ceremony, where a silent gesture on stage later revealed itself as a tribute to a beloved character from Oru Theruvinte Katha.
She added that readers would discover how Sadiq Kavil has captured the essence of Mangaluru’s streets in his novel. P.P. Sasindran described the launch as a rare literary moment that connected two timelines of Malayalam literature on the same soil.
Poet Murali Mangalath, who presided over the event, said the evening transformed Mittayi Theruvu with the warmth of literary celebration. Journalist M. Firoz Khan attended as chief guest, while Mahesh Paulose, Mustafa Olive, Boban Sreedharan, Prashobh Ravi, Smitha Vinod, and Isa Mariyam Kavil also spoke at the function.
