The Ramayana Month.

Today is the 1st of the Malayalam month of Karkkidakom and the Ramayana recital month has begun. Lekha, had begun the recital from last evening and she does so both in the morning and in the evening. I sit beside her to listen to her recital which gives me a tremendous sense of satisfaction. We have become strict vegetarians from today which will be followed for the entire month.

However, Kittu our cat, will get his share of meat or fish and the handling of non-vegetarian food for his sake is acceptable!

Touching upon this tradition in brief. In the days of old, people followed the joint family system and Karkkidakom - being the last month of the Malayalam calendar - used to be identified as the 'humbling' month when the families dipped into the final levels of their grain storage in the receptacles known as 'pathaayams'. The situation changed during the following month of Chingam, when the harvest took place and the 'pathaayams' would be once again brimming with an abundance of grains! 

To keep the family together and to help them tide over the 'no-work-situation' with the added woes caused by the monsoons, the patriarch used to gather the family twice a day where they would hear the recital of the Ramayana, usually carried out by the lady of the house.

Lekha and I are just following the traditions passed on to us by our grandparents and parents!

    *        *         *

                                  An interesting interpretation of the Ramayana!

               Ram is your soul. Sita is your heart. Raavan is your mind that steals your heart 

               from your soul. Lakshman is your consciousness, always with you and active 

               on your behalf. Hanuman is your intuition and courage that help retrieve your 

               heart to re-animate your soul!

     *        *         *

Just in Jest!

Teacher :  Ramu is climbing a tree to pick some mangoes. (Begin the sentence with mangoes).

Student :   Mangoes, Ramu is coming to pick you.

Definitely not easy to be a teacher!

Teacher :  What do you call mosquitos in your language?

Student :   We don't call them, they come on their own.

Teacher :   How can we keep our school clean?

Student :    By staying at home.

Tailpiece.

Got up at 6, the chores and was ready by a 10' to 10. 

Participated in 3 webinars ;-

(a) "Digital Resources for the Disabled" by Prof Partha Pratim Das, IIT, Kharagpur from 1100 - 1230 hrs. An in depth researched subject.

(b) Aazhchakkoottam :  "The Ramayana Month and Karkkidakom" by Pannian Raveendran, Former MP from 1600 - 1730 hrs. Very interestingly narrated.

(c) "National Education Policy 2020" by Dr M Mohandas from 1800 - 1930 hrs. Well explained.