Thrippunithura: The golden stalks of paddy swaying in the Kandanad polders are now ready for harvest. As locals and farmers gather to take in the sprawling fields of ripened grain, all eyes instinctively seek one figure: Sreenivasan, the beloved filmmaker of Malayalam cinema. From now on, he will no longer be here to witness the excitement of the paddy harvest in these fields

Years ago, it was Sreenivasan who resumed cultivating paddy here, starting with just two acres of these polders. This season, the crop has flourished, expanding to 60 acres. Health issues kept him away from last September’s sowing festival, but his son, Dhyan Sreenivasan, stepped in to carry forward his father’s vision and ensure that his wishes were fulfilled.

Alongside local farmers Manu Philip Thukalan and Saju Kurian, Dhyan actively participated in the sowing festivities, with Uma seeds being sown this season.

When the harvest festival takes place next week, the farmers plan to honour Sreenivasan with a granite statue near the fields. According to Manu Philip, the statue will stand beside the pond renovated by Sreenivasan, watching over the crop and the land he cherished.