Beyond the textbook: Why an exhibition on Constitution in Keralam is drawing young minds

What is the Constitution Exhibition and Public Debate, and where and when is it taking place?

The Constitution Exhibition and Public Debate is a public programme about India’s Constitution. It is being held at Centenary Park, near the Thalassery District and Sessions Court in Kannur, Keralam. Its purpose is to make constitutional history and ideas easier for ordinary visitors, especially children and students, to see and discuss.

The exhibition forms part of the 15th State Conference of the All India Lawyers Union. It was recently inaugurated by retired Justice Sunil Thomas, a Judicial Member of the Central Administrative Tribunal. Lawyers and students explain the displays, while a public debate adds discussion to the visual exhibition.

The exhibition continues until October 11, alongside cultural events and other conference programmes. Delegates will take a collective pledge to protect the Constitution on October 10. Organiser A.N. Shamseer describes the exhibition as both constitutional education and a protest message about protecting the Constitution.

How large is the exhibition, and who is visiting or helping explain it?

Around 120 slides make the exhibition a substantial visual journey through India’s constitutional history. The displays cover the Constitution’s making and evolution, national leaders, lesser-known contributors, Fundamental Rights and Duties, important provisions, and Supreme Court judgments through 2026.

Its audience is notably broad. Visitors come from different sections of society, with children and students forming a particularly important group. Large numbers of school students have been visiting, according to A. Viswan, the district president of the All India Lawyers Union. Their response is described as one of the exhibition’s most notable features.

Lawyers and students help visitors understand the displays. This shared explanation makes the exhibition more interactive than a silent display. Organisers see the strong student response as evidence of growing public engagement with the Constitution and as a way for the conference to contribute to society beyond internal organisational discussions.

What historical events and stages in Constitution-making does the exhibition trace?

The exhibition starts with British rule and India’s freedom struggle. It explains that the demand for a Constitution emerged even before Independence. This gives visitors historical context and shows that constitutional government was not created suddenly after British rule ended.

Around 20 opening slides trace the formation of the Constituent Assembly and the stages through which the Constitution was framed. The exhibition then follows the Constitution’s evolution, contributions from major and lesser-known figures, important provisions, Fundamental Rights and Duties, and landmark Supreme Court judgments.

The displays continue from the Constitution’s early years through 2026. This wide timeline helps young visitors connect the document’s origins with later legal and political developments. By presenting the Constitution as a long process, the exhibition encourages visitors to see it as a living framework shaped by debate, leadership, participation and judicial interpretation.

Who were some of the lesser-known contributors, women, and Keralam figures highlighted in the making of India’s Constitution?

The exhibition looks beyond familiar leaders such as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. It highlights members of the Drafting Committee and other personalities whose contributions are less widely known. Keralam’s role in Constitution-making receives special attention.

The displays feature 15 women who participated in the Constitution-making process. They include Keralite women Ammu Swaminathan, Annie Mascarene and Dakshayani Velayudhan. Dakshayani Velayudhan is identified as the only Dalit woman from Kerala who took part in that process. The exhibition also highlights lawyer P. Kunhiraman of Thalassery.

Kunhiraman is associated with the wording about an offence being “punishable by law” in Article 17. A. Viswan says this was an important contribution from the Thalassery region. Together, these examples widen the story of Constitution-making beyond its best-known figures and connect national history with Keralam and Thalassery.

What are Fundamental Rights and Fundamental Duties, and how are they different?

Fundamental Rights are constitutional protections that safeguard people’s basic freedoms, equality and ability to participate in public life. They place limits on how public authorities may treat citizens. Fundamental Duties are constitutional responsibilities for citizens, expressing conduct and values that support the country and its constitutional system.

The key difference is their function. Rights primarily protect individuals and can provide a basis for challenging unlawful state action. Duties primarily guide citizens’ responsibilities and civic conduct. Rights focus on protections people may claim, while duties focus on responsibilities people should observe. The article does not list individual rights or duties, but says the exhibition explains both.

This distinction matters because democracy depends on both protected freedoms and responsible participation. The exhibition places Rights and Duties alongside constitutional provisions and landmark Supreme Court judgments. That combination helps visitors see the Constitution not only as a source of protections, but also as a framework for public responsibility and civic engagement.

What could greater constitutional literacy and public engagement lead people to do, such as the collective pledge planned at the conference?

Constitutional literacy means understanding how the Constitution was made, what it protects and how its provisions shape public life. The organisers believe this knowledge is especially important now because people need to understand and protect the Constitution. Public engagement can turn constitutional ideas from textbook content into shared civic concerns.

The exhibition offers a practical example. Children, school students and other visitors view around 120 slides, while lawyers and students explain them. The programme also includes a public debate. Delegates at the conference will take a collective pledge to protect the Constitution on October 10, turning the exhibition’s message into a shared public commitment.

A. Viswan describes the growing participation as a slow movement toward greater understanding and engagement. Greater literacy could encourage people to discuss constitutional provisions, recognise the importance of rights and duties, and value the Constitution’s protection. The exhibition will continue through October 11 with other conference programmes and cultural events.

Why does a constitution matter in a democracy, particularly in limiting government power and protecting citizens’ rights?

In a democracy, a constitution sets the framework for government and records basic protections for citizens. It defines important powers and principles, so governing authorities cannot simply act without limits. It also gives people a shared standard for judging laws, decisions and public institutions. These are general democratic functions; the article focuses especially on the need to understand and protect India’s Constitution.

The exhibition makes this idea concrete through displays on Fundamental Rights, Duties, constitutional provisions and Supreme Court judgments. Its history of the freedom struggle and Constituent Assembly shows how the framework emerged from political debate and collective constitution-making. The displays therefore connect government power, citizen protections and the institutions that interpret constitutional provisions.

Organisers say constitutional literacy is essential today. They present the exhibition as a form of protest and as a way to encourage public engagement. Student visits, public discussion and the October 10 collective pledge could help keep constitutional protection a shared civic concern, not only a classroom topic.

Key Facts:

📌 The exhibition is at Centenary Park near the Thalassery District and Sessions Court.

📌 It is part of the 15th State Conference of the All India Lawyers Union.

📌 The exhibition continues until October 11, 2026.

📌 The exhibition contains around 120 slides.

📌 Children and students are among its most active visitors.

📌 Lawyers and students explain the displays to visitors.

📌 The exhibition begins with British rule and the freedom struggle.