Kochi | In observance of World Mental Health Day, Prayatna Centre for Child Development, in collaboration with the Kochi Municipal Corporation, has unveiled a unique outdoor interactive installation 'How is Kochi Feeling' at Subhash Park designed to promote emotional awareness and community well-being. The installation was inaugurated by T J Vinod, MLA. Mayor Adv. Minimol V K and Counsellor K V P Krishnakumar were present on the occasion.

The installation featured a series of transparent cylinders, each representing a different emotional state: Happy, Sad, Fear, Anxious, Overwhelmed and Angry. Members of the public were invited to reflect on their internal feelings and symbolically deposit a token into the cylinder that best reflects their current emotional state.  Beneath each cylinder was a basket of secret motivation messages written for that particular emotion. After filling a cylinder, participants explored the notes in the matching basket and took away words of encouragement meant for exactly how they felt at that moment.

Dr. Joseph Sunny Kunnacherry, Founder and Chairman of Prayatna, said, “Mental health begins with the simple act of recognising what we feel. Many people, including children, carry emotions they have never been given a way to express. This installation let people name their feelings without fear or judgement”.

The initiative drew enthusiastic participation from members of the public, who found the experience both simple and moving. Minu, a participant said, “I picked the Overwhelmed cylinder without thinking twice. The note I drew from the basket was exactly what I needed to hear today. The event has drawn enthusiastic participation from citizens across Kochi, creating a shared space for reflection, empathy, and collective healing.