During one of my recent train journeys in March 2023, I had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman named Mr. Biju Mathai. He appeared to be in his late 50s and possessed a calm and gentle demeanor that was immediately apparent. I found him to be thoughtful and passionate about his work, and we quickly struck up a conversation that lasted the duration of the journey. After exchanging numbers, we stayed in touch after the trip ended. This journey was my first time spending over 50 hours on a train alone, and the stunning Western Indian Ghats made it even more remarkable (I was on my way to Kerala from New Delhi). However, what made the journey truly memorable were the engaging conversations I had with Mr. Mathai during the journey.
Our discussions spanned a wide range of topics, from the world, life, and child psychology to my PhD work and interests, as well as his work and travels. Little did I know that this connection, unlike any I’ve made during my travels, would lead to a very exciting opportunity some weeks later – a visit to the press of the publishing house where he has worked for over three decades – Malayala Manorama.
A few weeks ago, roughly a month after our journey, he asked me if I had ever visited a press before. And I hadn’t. To my great delight, he arranged for me to visit Malayala Manorama’s printing press which is in Kottayam, in Kerala, its head office. And so, on Friday, the 12th of May, I took a train early in the morning from Karunagapally and reached Kottayam, Kerala.
Before that, some trivia about Malayala Manorama. According to the ABC Report from July-December 2022, Malayala Manorama is the second largest circulated daily newspaper in India with 19,20,096 copies sold.
Upon arriving at the office, I was not only received and welcomed so warmly by him but also by his colleagues whom I met during the tour of his office workspace. I was thrilled to see his passion for his job, and it was clear how much he enjoyed showing me around.
The Malayala Manorama publishing house was founded on March 14th, 1888 by Shri Kandathil Varghese Mappillai. The first edition of the Malayala Manorama newspaper was published on March 22nd, 1890. It is also worth mentioning that the first newspaper was printed on the Hopkinson and Cope press, which was imported from London.
Additionally, I also got to see the original Door that was preserved as a commemorative piece. In 1938, due to some charges made against some news published, the Travancore State stopped Malayala Manorama from printing newspapers and sealed its doors – a black mark for freedom of the press. However, after 10 long years, the newspaper was restarted in 1947 after India gained independence.
It was then followed by the highlight of the day – seeing the press and how it works. It was a huge separate building at a distance of about two kilometres from the main office.
Next, you can see below how smoothly a set of magazines is put together, packed, bound, and made ready to dispatch to the agents for further distribution.
My experience here extends beyond learning about the workings of the press and seeing one from the inside. It also reminded me the importance of always being open to people, conversations, and opportunities. And most importantly, cheers to people like Mr Mathai, who continue to believe in the goodness of sharing and simply smiling.
Nihal Kaur
ਨਿਹਾਲ ਕੌਰ nihal kaur 
Leave a comment