THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 161st jayanthi of Sree Vidyadhiraja Chattambi Swamikal was held in the city. As part of the jayanthi celebrations, Vidyadhiraja jayanthi Hindu maha sammelan was held under the aegis of the Sree Vidyadhiraja Dharma Prachar Sabha.
Inaugurating the sammelan, Health and Devaswom Minister V S Sivakumar said that Chattambi swamikal had acted as a catalyst in the social renaissance of Kerala. He pointed out that Kerala society had failed to enlighten the young and old generations about Chattambi swamikal’s contribution in expediting the social revolution in the past century.
He said that Chattambi swamikal was the Guru to Sree Narayana Guru and their joint efforts had paved the way for the social renaissance. It was at a time when Swami Vivekananda described Kerala as a lunatic asylum that those great reformers stepped into the scene to liberate Kerala from superstitions and social evils. “Now we have made strides on the education and social sectors. But the same could not be claimed of our current culture. Our education is not helpful for shaping society enriched by culture.
What is required is an education giving emphasis on sustaining the culture and traditions. Sree Vidyadhiraja Dharma Prachar Sabha president K Sivasankaran Nair presided.
Swami Lokahithananda of the Sree Ramakrishna Math, Sasthamangalam, delivered the Chattambi Swami remembrance lecture. Kumpalathu Santhakumari distributed the educational assistance.
Winners of the essay competition was also given prizes. M G Sasibhooshan, sabha vice- president S Sukumaran Nair, P Jyothindrakumar and others spoke.
‘Vedanthasaram’ Released
In another function held under the aegis of the Chattambi Swami Archive, Chattambi Swami’s work ‘Vedanthasaram’ was released in book form for the first time.
Swami Prajnananda Theerthapada of the Theerthapada Ashram, Vazhoor, released the book by handing over a copy to Malayalam Lexicon editor Panmana Ramachandran Nair. N P Unni, former vice-chancellor, Sanskrit University, presided.
K Maheswaran Nair, Swami Santhiprasad, Aswathi Gopinath, Vimalkumar and Madhukuttan spoke. NSS Thiruvananthapuram Taluk Union, organised ‘Sobhayathra’ as part of the jayanthi celebrations.