Kerala's artistic tribute to fight against Covid-19

KANNUR: When lockdown was enforced in the district following Covid-19, and the roads became deserted, Koothuparamba police had a different idea.


Thus, they embarked on a creative mission on April 16, and now that painting on the deserted road has become a point of attraction in the campaign against the pandemic, thus sensitizing people about the disease. It was formally unveiled on April 27.

The 160-foot-long and 80-foot-wide painting, ‘Be an antivirus to win the war’, was created by the policemen in Koothuparamba and ‘Chithrasancharam’, a collective of artists under Shaiju K Maloor, adhering to the lockdown norms and maintaining social distancing, said Koothuparamba police sub-inspector P Biju, who mooted the idea.

“When we thought what we should do in this time, the idea of this painting struck us and my colleagues as also artist friends joined me, to share the idea that from police and health officials to people including you and me have roles in containing the pandemic by breaking the chain,” he said.

Kerala has become a model for the world in fighting Covid-19 and this painting is a tribute to everyone behind the successful fight, said Shaiju. Since people would not be able to see it directly owing to lockdown, the videos would be shared via social media, he said.