Ramayana Month begins today

T’PURAM: The Holy Ramayana month of ‘Karkitaka’ begins on July 17th today. On all days in this Malayalam month, the Epic Ramayana is read in traditional Hindu houses, by Hindu organizations and in temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

The famous Malayalam Version of the Ramayana titled ‘Adhyatma Ramayanam Kilippattu’ written by Thunchath Ezhuthachan is the one recited in the month. After lighting the evening lamp, people sit before nilavilakku (traditional Kerala lamp) and recite the Adhyatma Ramayanam. The reading of the epic is managed in such a way that the reading ends on the last day in the Karkidakam Month.

The Karkidakam month is the last month in the Malayalam calendar. The monsoon is at its peak in this month; and during olden days majority of the people in Kerala depended on agriculture. Due to heavy rain, the Karkidakam month is referred as ‘panja masam’ or the month of scarcity.

The Amavasi day in the Karkidakam month is dedicated to dead ancestors and Hindus perform special pujas at seashore and on riverbeds on this day.

A pilgrimage to the four temples dedicated to Lord Ram and his brothers is undertaken in the Ramayana Masam. This is known as the Nalambalam

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