50 years of Kerala-Russia bonding
Some years ago, a chapter in a school textbook was about young Ivana who strayed from home into a nearby village. When asked who her mother was, she said her mother is the most beautiful woman in the world. A search began, but the one who came calling for the kid was far from her description. Beauty thus is deeply linked to love, the story conveyed.
The story and many like it came to readers in Kerala from what was once the Soviet Union, transporting them to idyllic Russian settings. They were loved, in a pure reflection of the fascination the average, book-lover Malayali had for that country.
This could be a reason why the Russian House, originally set up as Gorky Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram 50 years ago, found a spot in the hearts of Malayalis. It became a landmark, where thinkers and writers congregated. Through it, Russia struck deep chords in the minds of Malayalis, its friendship warmed hearts, and its space voyages made the likes of Valentina Tereshkova and Yuri Gagarin household names.
Ambika B was one such who did her post graduation in Russian in 1973, inspired by her love for Russia. 'I was very fascinated. I got to know of Russia through the several books published by the Mir Publications. It was heavily subsidised too then. Kerala looked up then to Russia as the home of an ideology it revered,' the 75-year-old says.
Years passed, and in the 1990s, Soviet Union disintegrated and Russia emerged. Gorky Bhavan, named after Maxim Gorky, was shut down. It opened later after 10 years, as the Russian Cultural Centre. Popularly called the Russian House, it offered activities that facilitated an exchange of culture and talents.
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