Preserving culture through archiving books on families

Thiruvananthapuram: Inspired by the history of their land written in the book ‘The History of Vellanad’, the Yuvajana Samithi Library at Changa is preparing to curate a special collection to record the history of the state. The library committee has taken a decision to collect copies of history books on families across the state in an effort to raise awareness and preserve the native cultural heritage of ancient families of Kerala.“The History of Vellanad was written by Vellanad Ramachandran around three years ago. Instead of adding this text to our existing collection of 5,000 books, we thought of setting up an initiative which would help future generations to understand the culture of Kerala better. “We have heard of numerous ancient families from the North of Kerala like those settled in Kottayam, Ernakulam and Thrissur that have successfully recorded their lineage and associated details in the form of books. “Anyone interested in having their family history preserved here can contact us at 9746579977 to pass on a copy,” library president B Dileep Kumar said.The Yuvajana Samithi known for the many social services that it has provided over the years was established in 1952. The organisation which started with a theatre group initially, then slowly started helping the people of Vellanad. “The Yuvajana Samithi Library was mainly established for Changa LPS School whose students can avail a free membership here. We also took up quite an active role during the peak pandemic time and delivered food packets and medicines to the needy. “The family history archive collection is Yuvajana Samithi Library’s latest project aimed at conserving the Malayalee traditions and the state’s rich culture,” Dileep said.