When the people of Chunangad, a quiet village in Ottappalam in Kerala's Palakkad district, learned that their favourite playground — a private property used for over 70 years — was sold, they knew they had to act. They made a unanimous decision: they would buy the land themselves, preserve it for future generations, and ensure it remained a space for children to play, senior citizens to gather, and the community to celebrate together.

The land, a one-acre plot owned by the Sangethathil family with at least 50 heirs, had long served as the village’s open playground. In 2020, it was sold to businessman Poloth Padmanabhan Nair, who soon fenced it off, cutting off access to the children and locals. "It was heartbreaking," recalls Ramadas, a retired social science teacher and chairman of the public committee formed to save the ground. "We decided then that we must keep this place alive — not just for ourselves, but for the coming generations. We don’t want our children to fall into bad habits. Let this ground be their addiction instead — to play, to dream, to grow."

Though Padmanabhan Nair initially bought the land for construction purposes, his family showed extraordinary understanding when the villagers approached them. "We are businessmen, but this was a genuine request from our own people. We had to respect that," says his son, Sathyaprakash.

However, raising the required funds proved tougher than expected. The villagers initially attempted a raffle with a car as the grand prize, but it was unsuccessful. Realising the need for a more structured approach, they decided to upgrade their three-decade-old arts and sports club, Shooters, into a registered trust — Shooters Charitable Trust — in 2022. With support from well-wishers, media coverage, and encouraging words from personalities like footballer I M Vijayan and filmmaker Lal Jose, momentum grew. Still, the process was slow. Many early promises of funding fell through as the registration dragged on. But the villagers remained determined.

During this period, Padmanabhan Nair passed away, and the property's ownership was transferred to his five children. Respecting the villagers’ dream, they patiently waited for nearly five years, even donating two cents of land without charge to support the cause. Finally, after years of relentless effort, the villagers raised ₹40 lakh and purchased 38 cents of the land. On April 13, Kerala's Minister for Sports V Abdurahiman inaugurated the playground, marking a proud moment for Chunangad.

But the journey isn’t over yet. The trust now plans to acquire an additional 12 cents from the remaining land to create a regulation-sized ground suitable for sevens football matches. They also envision building a gallery and a dedicated seniors' corner in the shade of 15 tall leafy trees where older villagers can sit, chat, and supervise the kids at play.

"This ground represents our community’s soul," says Ramadas. "It’s not just a place for football. It’s where we celebrate festivals, host games, and gather during temple festivities linked to Muttippalam Murukan Kovil and Chathan Kanda Kavu nearby." With no tea shops or community centres nearby, this playground has become an irreplaceable meeting point for villagers. "Earlier, the tea shops were our hubs for discussion and connection. Now, with changing times, we need a free space to come together — and that’s what we’re building here," Ramadas adds.

The trust is also planning to launch educational scholarships and palliative care initiatives once the next phase of land acquisition is complete.