The annual Narayaneeyam recital contest for students will be conducted at Narayanalayam, Guruvayur, on September 21.
The contest is being organised by the Bhagavatha Vaachaspathy Thottam Krishnan Nampoothiry Memorial Foundation based at the Thottam Mana here.
The contest will be conducted in three categories - LP (Std 1,2,3 and 4), UP (Std 5,6,7, and 8) and HS & HSS (Std 9,10,11 & 12).
Dasakam 26 of Narayaneeyam has been earmarked for recital by LP students. Dasakams 39 and 40 are to be recited by the UP students.
The HS and HSS students will have to recite Dasakams 6,7,8 and 9. There is no contest for the elders who will have to recite Dasakams 91 and 92. The best performers in this section will get consolation prizes.
The application, containing name, date of birth, standard of study, address of parent/guardian and phone number, for participation in the contest should reach the Secretary, Bhagavatha Vaachaspathy Thottam Krishnan Nampoothiry Memorial Foundation, Thottam Mana, Vadassery P O, Palakkad - 678 641 on or before September 15, according to a statement issued by Foundation secretary Thottam Shyam Nampoothiry.
Those who are unable to send the application can make spot registration at Narayanalayam at 8.30 am on September 21, the day of contest.
Thottam Krishnan Nampoothiry was instrumental in popularising the Narayaneeyam scripted by Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiry around 425 years ago. The scholarly recital and the pithy discourses by Thottam Krishnan Nampoothiry were being cited as the major factors which led to the popularity of Narayaneeyam in the forms of Sapthahams and Laksharchanas in the last 40 years.