A commercial blot on the historical VJT Hall

But the hall, in keeping with the politically vibrant mood of the 1940s and 1950s, was soon appropriated by the state’s renaissance leaders and artists.

The defining socio-political play ‘Ningal Enne Communistakki’, which had unleashed a communist wave in the state, was first staged here.

Thoppil Bhasi, overwhelmed by the thunderous support for his play, had famously described the hall as the Sierra Maestra of Travancore referring to the mountain ranges from where Fidel Castro launched his guerrilla attack against the Batista Government.

Once an elite den where the Travancore kings threw lavish birthday parties, the VJT Hall in later years became a hub of cultural activities.

The Trivandrum Kathakali Club had their monthly performances in the VJT Hall which had room for their costumes and ornaments. Even now, it is the most preferred venue for any public function, especially those associated with cultural and performing arts.

K Shivashankaran Nair, historian and former executive engineer of PWD, vividly recalls the performance of the play “Macbeth” at the hall. He said that the hall has undergone minor maintenance in 1978, its basic design kept intact.

The VJT Hall is now under the management of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, which now sees in the hall a means to improve revenue. The hall is now virtually monopolised by commercial and trade expos and crafts exhibition and sale, with cultural events gradually been shown the door.

“The cultural events are purposefully excluded because renting the hall for commercial use yields more profit,” a top Corporation source conceded.

Even if the hall is allotted for a cultural event, the organisers have to face many uncertainties regarding technical issues and unavailability of the hall in the last minute.

By renting this hall solely for commercial trade, the historical importance of the hall is being discounted. Town halls were established in other districts of Kerala as well but these halls continue to host various cultural events.

“A monument, which is more than a 100 years old, should not be handled carelessly. It should be conserved, maintained and allowed to be the backdrop of new cultural movements that emerge in the capital,” said George Pulimath, a conservation expert.