TV celebrities R J Mathukutty and Raj Kalesh, who were the presenters of ‘Udan Panam’, a programme telecast on Mazhavil Manorama, shared fond memories from their shooting days for an episode at Chooralmala several years ago and said that the particular episode has a special place in their hearts. The TV personalities, who were thoroughly shaken on hearing about the tragedy, wondered how many of the participants and audience of that episode are now safe. “When we heard that the landslide took place in areas between Mundakkai and Chooralmala in Wayanad, we were shocked.
It broke our hearts to learn that Chooralmala was the worst affected since the place is special to us,” said Mathukutty. “Though we have visited several places, including all the 14 districts in Kerala and some cities abroad, for shooting ‘Udan Panam,' Chooralmala was unique in several ways. Apart from the natural beauty of the place, the love and warmth extended by the local people towards us is also unparalleled,” said Mathukutty.
“I cross-checked the pictures of people missing in the tragedy and tried to recollect whether they had participated in our programme. I remember the tea plantation, passing through which we reached the valley below Chooralmala. From the top of the plantation, we saw a group of people waiting for us.
We could experience their happiness as well as enthusiasm,” said Mathukutty. Among the participants of that episode, Mathukutty vividly remembers an elderly lady named N.