Date:22/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/22/stories/2007102250350200.htm

Kerala

Thunchan Parambu reverberates with initiation chants

Staff Reporter

TIRUR: Nearly 4,300 children below the age of four were initiated into the world of letters at an “Ezhuthiniruthu” ceremony at Thunchan Parambu here on Sunday. This marks the conclusion of the five-day Vidyarambham festivities.

M.T. Vasudevan Nair, Jnanpith laureate, was at the forefront of writers who, along with traditional acharyas, did the initiation.

More funds

Education Minister M.A. Baby, inaugurating a Vidyarambham meeting, promised more funds for Thunchan Parambu, which he described as the paramount institution devoted to the Malayalam language.

The Education Minister said there was no other institution in the State that could match the range and level of Thunchan Parambu, home of Malayalam’s patriarch Thunchathu Ezhuthachan.

P.P. Abdullakutty, MLA, presided over the function. P. Nandakumar, Thunchan Memorial Trust secretary, and Mr. Vasudevan Nair spoke.

Thousands of parents came with their tiny tots. The children were made to script Harisree Ganapathaye Namah in rice by the writers and the acharyas.

The writers did the initiation at Saraswati Mandapam and the acharyas at the Krishnasila Mandapam. Long queues were formed outside both much before the ceremony started at 4.30 a.m.

Poets’ ceremony

Apart from Mr. Nair, the writers who conducted the ceremony included Alankode Leelakrishnan, Manambur Rajanbabu, K.P. Ramanunni, Isaac Eapen, C. Rajendran and Kanesh Poonoor.

Dozens of poets, budding as well as established, presented their latest poems as an offering at an exclusive Vidyarambham of poets.

Among them were P.M. Pallippad, Manambur Rajanbabu, Alankode Leelakrishnan, P.K. Gopi, and Radhamani Ayinkalam.

Long tradition

Poets’ Vidyarambham at Thunchan Parambu has a long tradition. Vylopilly, N.N. Kakkad and Kunjunni had presented their verses in the past.

A competition on correct pronunciation was organised as part of the Vidyarambham festival. A Malayalam student, A. Aswati, won the first prize. Jagadeesh, film actor, inaugurated an arts festival on Wednesday. Mr. Vasudevan Nair presided.

The Frame Film Society, Tirur, screened a few films on Thursday and Friday.

Dance and classical music programmes were held on the occasion.