Political Agenda behind Sabotage of Vedanta Study centres in Temples

Kochi: The Vedanta Vidyala Curriculum programme to be initiated under Travancore Devaswom Board has been sabotaged, thanks topolitical agenda of certain officers in the board. The original proposal to set up Vedanta schools in temples 10 years ago, so that children learn Puranas and Ithihasas and enrich themselves with
knowledge of Hindu culture, has been a total failure, with the project not being implemented in a single temple.

The project was chalked out and envisaged with the aim of inculcating
in young minds, messages that have Dharmic and cultural allusions. The proposal was to impart instructions on Vedanta Pradhama, Dwitheeya, Thritheeya, Chathurtham, Panchamam and conduct examinations at graduation level for ‘Vedantacharya’ and issue certificates along with. The Board had conducted a detailed scrutiny of the proposal in
September 2005, giving a green signal thereafter. The matter was even brought to the notice of the Board last month by the Cultural Director of the Board. This however yielded no result. In short, the Board sabotaged its own project.

Apart from the specified project, the Devaswom Commissioner had put
forth the proposal of publishing study materials in ‘Sannidhanam’, the
official magazine of Devaswom Board, this year. This has also not been
implemented. The syllabus includes Geeta Paddhavali Part 1, Sarala
Samskrita Paddhavali Part 1, Mantra Bhajana ganavali, Sanatana Dharma
Ratnangal, Ramayanam Balakaandham Part 1, Dasavatara Stories, Life and
times of Sree Chattambi Swamikal and Sree Narayana Gurudevan, Kali Santharanopanishad, Eashavasyopanishad, Lalitha Sahasranamam, Vishnu Sahasranamam etc.

The plan was to impart lessons based on Bhagavad Geeta to children in
a phased manner, by clubbing the first three chapters as part one and teach in a year’s time, with rest of the 15 chapters being grouped into 4 books. Ramayanam, Dashopanishath, Kalisantharanopanishath etc are to be taught in 5 years. Children will be made familiar with a brief history of the life of seers, spiritual gurus and poets in a year’s time.

Awareness on Sanskrit and simple lessons on elementary Sanskrit was also part of the project, with the aim of familiarizing children with the language in 4 years. Apart from these, art forms like Thottampaattu, Pulluvanpattu, Sheethangan Thullal, Parayan Thullal, Padayani, Velakali figure in the list of 30 art forms that have been included in the syllabus.

The grand scheme, which will be of immense benefit to the entire crop of new generation, has sadly been sabotaged. There is now wide spread protest against incapacitation of the project. It is being seen as a gross violation and double standards by a set of officers who have their eye solely on temple wealth, who plan to usurp and deny the next generation the precious cultural wealth they are entitled to.

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