Thiruvananthapuram: Two years after launching its own ‘secular’ version of Sri Krishna Jayanthi celebrations, the
CPM state unit is gearing up to celebrate the ‘Ramayana month’ of
Karkkadakam, the 30-day period beginning from July 17 when the epic story of Lord Rama is read daily at most Hindu homes in the belief that it will help ward off deprivation and ailments brought on by the monsoon at its peak.
So far, CPM has viewed the daily reading of the Ramayana as a religious ritual, something to be scoffed at by its ‘atheist’ cadres. However, starting this year, the party will be actively associated with Ramayana lectures to be conducted by Samskritha Sangham in all 14
districts from July 15 to August 15.
These lectures, purportedly presented from a subaltern point of view will, CPM sources clarified, desist from “hurting sentiments of devotees”.
Samskritha Sangham was constituted a year ago by a group of academics and historians based on their love for Sanskrit. “There is no change in the stand of the party even now. Many of us will cooperate with the activities of Samskritha Sangham which is a secular and progressive forum of those who love Sanskrit. They work hard to counter the misinterpretation of Sanskrit and puranas by Sangh Parivar forces”, said CPM state committee member K Sivadasan. He is learnt to have been assigned by the party to coordinate the Karkkadakam activities. “The Sangham is in no way related to CPM. It is not a feeder organisation”, Sivadasan added.
The Ramayana text read normally at Hindu homes is Adhyatma Ramayana, the celebrated Malayalam translation of Valmiki’s Ramayana by Thunchath Ezhuthachan. T Thilakaraj, state convener of Samskritha Sangham, said the month-long lecture series plans to introduce the ‘real’ Rama and the ‘real’ Ramayana to the public. “Eminent speakers who have done thorough research will address gatherings in all districts and will interpret Ramayana in a historical perspective to a secular audience”, he said.
