Karkkidakam, the month in the Malayalam almanac, coincides with June – July, the months of rainy monsoon. So, Keralites called it ‘Panja Karkkidakam’. ‘Panjam’ means famine. In the old days, due to the heavy downpour during Karkkidakam, people did not have work and income, and the whole economic and social life came to a standstill. Because, Kerala’s entire economy depended on agriculture. In those days, even food was a big question mark. But, the people were utilising the time, not wasting for sleeping. They opted to read Ramayana during the whole Malayalam month. They made it a point to read the whole text within the whole month. So, it was called Ramayana Masam, meaning Ramayana Month. Grandmothers used to read the text while the entire family sat around her. She used to explain the stories in detail. The session prolonged until the children fell asleep. They were getting a hearty familiarisation with the Ramayan story. They learnt who is who in the country’s epic, the first poetic text in the entire world.
But, gradually, Kerala’s economy underwent sea changes. A new economic and social system came up in Kerala. The State ceased to be an agro-oriented economy. The changes in economic system brought changes in social and cultural life. Then came the influence of communism in the social and political life of the State. As atheism was the backbone of communism, people gradually moved away from reading Ramayanam during Karkkidakam. Only a microscopic number of houses retained the texts of Ramayana. Others discarded it gradually. A negligible number of people continued reading it during Karkkidakam. That, too was in the evening or night compared to the olden days when the reading took place during the whole day.
Deriding hindu god
It was a deviation from the tradition and culture. Social and religious leaders did not bother, let alone the politicians. They (politicians) did not need it, as they needed only votes. Ramayana was not necessary for obtaining votes! The political leaders, especially, communists and Congress leaders, enjoyed questioning the genuineness of the Ramayana story and the birth of Rama. EK Nayanar, the CPM leader and former CM of the State, once asked if Rama had even taken birth.
The call for Ramayana Month created enthusiastic waves among Hindus in the state. Thereafter, Ramayana Month became a golden part of Kerala’s social life
But April 1982 brought an incredible change in the social fabric in connection with Ramayana. Then started a new era where Ramayana took centre stage of social life, thanks to the declaration made as a part of the Vishal Hindu Sammelan in Kochi. It was organised by Bhaskar Rao Ji, the legendary Kerala Prant Pracharak of RSS and senior leaders P Madhavji, P Parameshwarji, Ranga Hariji and retired district judge A R Sreenivasan. It was a historic incident in the cultural and social history of the state. Representatives of various Hindu communities participated in the delegates’ session, which called upon the Keralites to revive Ramayana Masam during Karkkidakam. The public meeting, attended by thousands of people, was addressed by Swami Chinmayananda, Swami Vishweshawara Theertha, the then RSS Sahasarkaryavah Prof Rajendra Singh aka Rajju Bhaiya (Sarsanghchalak from 2000 to 2009) and Dr Karan Singh. The entire RSS machinery in the state worked hard for the success of the conference. “Hindukkal Naam Onnane” (We Hindus are one) was the theme song for the conference.
Reviving Ramayana Month
The call for Ramayana Month created enthusiastic waves among Hindus in the state. Thereafter, Ramayana Month became a golden part of Kerala’s social life. All temples started to observe it. Rendering Ramayana verses thrilled the Hindu houses. Even Christian institutions have started to observe it in their premises. Publishers started to compete each other in bringing out Ramayana copies every year. The competition was not confined to the volumes of sales alone, but also in price, layout, font, etc.
This Ramayana Revolution gave a new rejuvenation to the Hindu community. They started to return to their basics. They started to nurture their lost tradition. They learnt who is who in Ramayana. They came to know that Ayodhya was the divine city for them, and a Ram temple was an essential must there. Ramayana programmes in the temples taught them to forget the caste differences and to convince themselves that they are one. Scholars’ meet, the narration of Ramayana stories in public programmes, quiz competitions, singing the Ramayana songs, seminars, discussions, series of speeches, etc., became part and parcel of the observance. Ramayana became a ‘social text book’.
Interestingly, the Vigneshwara Homam, a traditional ritual for the beginning of noble activities, was led by the most respected Paravoor Sreedharan Thanthrikal, a follower of Sree Narayana Gurudev order. He was the chief priest, and he was aided by the famous traditional priest Soorya Kalati Sooryan Bhattathirippad. Knowledgeable sources have told this correspondent that Sreedharan Thanthrikal’s name for this auspicious role was suggested by no less a person than K Bhaskar Rao Ji.
The modalities of the observance of Ramayana Month were designed by the Vishal Hindu Sammelan executive committee, presided by AR Sreenivasan, which met at Kochi on June 6, 1982. The meeting also called on to celebrate the birthdays of Sree Narayana Gurdev, Chattambi Swamikal and Mahatma Ayyankali. They called it ‘Acharya Trayam’.
The propagation of observance of Ramayana Month was not a bed of roses. Communists and their Purogama Kalasahithya Samgham (Progressive Arts and Literature Organisation) left no stone unturned to ‘kill’ the new move. They told, not Ramayana but Ravanayana was to be observed. They published articles degrading Rama, Sita, etc. A series of speeches were conducted to oppose Ramayana Month tooth and nail. Marxist ideologue EMS Namboothirippad was there among them. But, Hindu leadership led by Madhavji and Parameshwarji resisted it lock, stock and barrel.
Now, Ramayana Month has become a reality, an undisputed fact. It is a part of Kerala’s social life. n
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