http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changampuzha_Park The Changampuzha Samskarika Kendram (CSK)
Where art & culture an immortal passion
The Changapuzha Samskarika Kendram (CSK), a haven of true lovers of art and culture in the ever growing Edappally is located in a two acre public park, named after Kerala’s greatest ever romantic poet, the late Changampuzha Krishna Pillai. The park serves as a living mon
ument to the evergreen memory of the late poet who had spent most of his creative years in the area. Edappally can also genuinely boast of the proud legacies of a host of its illustrious sons, including Poet Edappally Raghavan Pillai, historian K.P. Antony, Edappally Karunakara Menon and several others. CSK has over the years emerged as one of the most vibrant cultural hubs within the Greater Cochin area. The beautifully laid-out Changampuzha park is popular among children, elderly persons and others. It serves as an ideal venue for several art and cultural programmes of importance. Genesis and Objectives
The genesis of this Kendra dates back to 1997, thanks to the zeal and commitment of some true lovers of art and culture. CSK’s avowed objective is promotion of the unique cultural heritage of the country in General and Kerala in particular. Started with a few members at the beginning, CSK has 2500 life members, 17 institutional members, and three organisational members on its rolls now. While fostering all art forms special emphasis is given to revival and development of Kerala’s glorious heritage in literature, music, kathakali, dance, painting, sculpture etc without any commercial motive. CSK is registered under the Charitable and Cultural Societies Act and is governed by a 26-member executive committee elected for a three-year term. The committee is composed of prominent personalities from various walks of life. Balachandran (Former Mayor of Kochi and former Chairman of GCDA) was at the helm of affairs of CSK, helping it to develop and grow to ever greater heights till 2017. P.Prakash is the President of CSK and T G Ravikumarthe present Secretary and Mr. Jose Petta Treasurer. M.P.of Ernakulam constituency, M.L.A of Thrikkakara constituency, District Collector, Kochi Mayor, Chairperson and Secretary of G.C.D.A are permanent invitees to the committee. Functioning and Activities
The executive committee (EC) of CSK is basically responsible for getting many of the functions carried out through various sector-wise units formed under its auspices. It lays down policy guidelines, coordinates activities of different wings, and extends financial assistance and advice where ever necessary. Apart from this, the committee has an enviable track record of organising several commemorative meetings, honouring men of letters and instituting endowments in memory of eminent artistes. Some of the sector-wise units under the umbrella of CSK are registered separately and have their own managing committees (MCs). Prominent among these are Edappally Kathakali Aswadaka Sadas, Edappally Sangeetha Sadas, Edappally Senior Citizens Forum and Edappally Nruthaswadaka Sadas. These units are the brain children of the Chairman Mr. Balachandran, who shaped the centre as a park of culture. The vibrant activities of these constituents have earned CSK a pride of place in the art-and-cultural map of Kerala. An average of 300 engagements of assorted nature- Kathakali, Dance and Classical music recitals, dramas, award presentations, memorial meetings etc. make CSK busy round the year. Meetings of poets (Kavyamoola), monthly discussion on literary works (Pusthakavichaaram), Aksharaslokasadas, Mazhavillu for kids are regular engagements there. No rental is charged from any of the parties either for the stages ( One open air and the other with roof), lighting arrangements, or sound systems. CSK even allows free use of its 700 odd chairs and other facilities including generator. These impeccable facilities available to conduct programmes even in foul weather and an assured receptive audience always make CSK now the preferred destination of art lovers and event managers far and wide. A Few Landmark Events
Viswa kala sangamam: A three week long workshop of Veteran artists in diverse streams of art organised in 2001 witnessed the live participation of artists from Canada, Japan, South Korea and India. Some of the fascinating figures created by the sculptors continue to adorn the lawns of CSK now. Children’s Art Workshop: A Three week long cultural extravaganza with special emphasis on children’s participation held in 2001.Distinguished artists and painters like Namboodiri, M.V.Devan, and C.N.Karunakaran guided the budding artists. National School of Drama Festival: A Nine day drama festival in honour of Kavalam Narayana Panicker, the doyen of Malayalam stage, on his 80th birth day held in 2008. This was in co operation with Ernakulam Press Club which celebrated its 40th anniversary then. Recognition of Kerala Kalamandalam: It was a recognition of Kerala Kalamandalam when they chose CSK as the venue to inaugurate their much acclaimed :Noorarang” programme (100 kathakali performances) in 2008. Changampuzha Samskarika Kendram, as the title implies, is a multi-faceted cultural centre established in the name of one of Kerala’s most celebrated modern poets, Changampuzha Krishna Pillai. It is situated in a two-acre park established and named after the great poet in Edappally, Kochi, where he spent most of his creative years tending the muses, and has his final resting place. The Changampuzha Samskarika Kendram (CSK) is conveniently located just five km. from Ernakulam Town, on the main road to Aluva and has idyllic surroundings that give an ambiance appropriate to its reputed cultural ethos. For, Edappally has been lucky to wear the halos of its other illustrious sons, like Poet Edappally Raghavan Pillai, historian K.P. Padmanabha Menon, thespian P.J. Antony, to mention only three. The eponymous institution is not just a cultural centre as the title modestly implies; it embraces the whole gamut of arts in their many-splendored forms. Started in 1997 by a group of zealous lovers of the arts, CSK’s avowed objective is promotion of the protean culture of our country in general and that of Kerala in particular. That is to say, the entire range of Malayalam literature and all of Kerala’s other art forms are in the focus of its activities. While fostering all art forms the emphasis is on revival and development of Kerala’s glorious heritage in literature, music, dance and painting, undefiled by vulgarity, commercialism and politics. It will not be disputed that some of our rich inheritance in this domain, especially folk music and dance forms, metal, wood and stone carvings etc. are dying for want of patronage, and are in dire need of immediate resuscitation. CSK is registered under the Charitable and Cultural Societies Act and is governed by a 24-member executive committee elected for a three-year term. The committee includes men and women of letters, artistes from different streams, working and retired bureaucrats and keen connoisseurs of the arts, all of whom are committed to work for the healthy growth of the institution. The Founding Committee of Changampuzha Samskarika Kendram consisted of :-
Messrs :-
K. Balachandran (President) T.A. Ahmmed Kabir
T.M. Sankaran (Vice-President) N.K.A. Lathief
T.K.P. Panicker (Secretary) V. Ramachandran
P. Prakash (Treasurer) T.S. Siddharthan
K.L. Mohana Varma P.G.Radhakrishnan
Kalamandalam Kesavan P.V. Benjamin
Pattayil N.G.Nair
PP. Mr G. Gopinathan Pillai is the new Secretary and Mr. Joseph Souhardan Treasurer for the next three years. Apart from the elected members of the executive committee the Ernakulam M.P, the Tripunithura M.L.A., District Collector, Kochi Mayor, the G.C.D.A. Chairperson and the G.C.D.A. Secretary are permanent invitees to the EC meeting. The broad-based governance of CSK is thus truly representative of Edappally’s effulgent socio-cultural milieu. CSK Functioning
The executive committee (EC) of CSK gets many of the functions carried out through various sector-wise units formed under its auspices. It lays down policy guidelines, coordinates activities of different wings, arranges technical and material supports and provides financial assistance and advice where necessary. It may thus seem just an umbrella organization. But it is much more than that. It has several onerous functions which do not fall under the purview of the sector-wise managing committees. For instance, holding commemorative meetings, honouring men of letters, instituting endowments in memory of eminent artistes, allocating use of its two stages and other paraphernalia for functions that occur almost daily, interfacing in matters official, etc. are under EC’s direct domain. Some of the sector-wise units are registered separately and have their own managing committees (MCs). The prominent among these units are Edappally Kathakali Aswadaka Sadas, Edappally Sangeetha Sadas, Edappally Senior Citizens Forum ( Pl. see Links for sector-wise details of these units). These MCs conduct their intra- mural affairs largely independently. The vibrant activities of these constituents in consonance with the executive committee make Changampuzha Samskarika Kendram a name to reckon with on the art-and-culture map of Kerala.
