Pandikkad/ Malappuram: It was sweetness served with compassion, as over one-and-a-half lakh glasses, or nearly 22,000 litres of palada payasam, were sold in a show of community spirit. 

The challenge, titled Madhura Swanthanam, became doubly sweet as elected representatives, youth organisations, club members, political parties, traders, Team Ikigai, healthcare professionals, police volunteers, trauma care workers and trade unions joined hands. The event was organised to raise funds for the Pandikkad Swanthanam Palliative Care Society, which serves as the sole support system for destitute patients in Pandikkad and Keezhattoor panchayats and Nenmini village.

While the original plan was to prepare and sell 20,000 litres of payasam, the enthusiastic public response pushed the total to over 22,000 litres. Orders were received both at doorsteps and through an online portal. Hundreds of volunteers worked tirelessly to make the event a grand success. The region is now buzzing over the grand success of the challenge.