The Noufal Kalithingal café was called 30 July in Mepadi, Wayanad. | Photo Credit: Sakeer Hussain
The name “July 30” on the board of Noufal Kalathhingal’s Cafe in Mepadi is more than just a date. There is pain and purpose for him. It is a symbol of its resistance in the face of unimaginable loss. It is a tribute to the loved ones who lost in the Wayanad landslides.
When Nature on the night of July 30, 2024, Mundakkai and Chooralmala ravaged, Mr. Noufal was thousands of kilometers away and worked as a chef in Oman. Just a few minutes before the disaster, he shared WhatsApp’s tender video calls with his wife Sajna and their three children. Since then he has never heard from them.
Mr. Noufal lost 11 members of his family: wife and three children, his parents, his brother, sister -in -law and their three children. The scene, which awaited him in Wayanad 31. July, was an imperceptible devastation.
“I had hope until I reached Wayanad. My parents’ bodies were recovered and buried the day before. It was a well -known spark of an earrings that confirmed the unbearable truth: My daughter,” Mr. Noufal broke.
Mr. Noufal took almost three months to confirm the identity of his other family members, including his wife Sajna, DNA testing. With a heavy heart revealed the grim reality: “The remnants of my wife are scattered in two graves. The same fate was immersed my children and brother.”
Noufal Kalathhingal with Safna, whom he married in June. | Photo Credit: Sakeer Hussain
The devastating landslide dismantled bodies out of recognition, leading to gradual funerals before the results of DNA later revealed real identities.
His wife’s dream was that Mr. Noufal would return home and set up a café, a plan he was acting on. “I saved her dream to become a reality,” he said. Although Sajna is not there to witness it, her presence lives in every cup of coffee she serves.
“I named my café” on July 30 “to ensure that the tragedy of Mundakkai-chooralmal is not forgotten, unlike the Puthumal disaster in 2019, which is already slipping out of memory,” he said.
Shared sadness
Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) helped him set up a café in a rented building. It employs six workers who have lost their living in tragedy.
More than coffee and refreshments, the offer reflects the flavors of the region: biryani, mandi, jury and beef frying. “This café does not apply to profits, it is about maintaining memories and supporting those who have lost their living,” he said.
Mr. Noufal’s resistance is an inspiration for many survivors. Last month he married Safna, 37. Now they are preparing to move to the house donated KMCC Muscat Wing. Mr. Noufal’s recovery and reconstruction road enters the new chapter.
Published – 29 July 2025 20:02
