“Please give me books instead of bouquet or ponnada when you invite me for functions,” T.N. Prathapan, MP, has said. The flowers would wilt and ponnada would remain unused. But the books would live through generations, Mr. Prathapan said in a press release issued here.

The Thrissur MP is planning to set up a library in the Priyadharshini Smaraka Samithi in his native village Thalikkulam with the books he would receive in the next five years.