KOZHIKODE: Nights played a significant role in the history and evolution of Malabar over the years just like in any other part of the globe. Over the time, along with modern facilities, nights have become active for sociocultural and political activities and influenced the course of history. Calicut University history department is releasing a book Malabarinte Ravukal in an attempt to throw light on its history from the angle of nights.
The collection of nine articles by teachers and students explains the important role nights played in its political, sociocultural and economic history. The department head Dr P. Sivadasan said the book narrates the story in a different style known as ‘history from below’ which account events from the perspective of common people rather than leaders like in The London Hanged by Peter Linebaugh.
“For example, one of the chapters, Nights in the diary of Sankaran Namboothiri, explains the life of upper class towards the end of 19th century through the diary of a commoner and the impact of education on their attitude towards the prevailing social situation,” he told DC.
The impact and influence of cinema, drama and other cultural art forms staged during night, the arrival of electricity in Kozhikode, the lighthouse at Kadaloor Fort, hurricane lamp and its influence on Muslims, night lodges, bandits of Malabar, nights and popular political movements and jail nights during freedom struggle are its main subjects. The book will be released by noted social historian Prof Badri Narayan on Tuesday at the university.
