THRISSUR: The Malayalam month of Karkkidakam begins on Wednesday. The month which is dedicated to reading of the Ramayana and following rituals connected to Lord Rama.
During the month, devotees take part in daily Ramayana reading sessions while many read the epic in the comfort of their homes. Now, in this smartphone-ruled digital era, even this practice has received a technological update.
The MCA Department of Vidya Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) here has launched ‘Ramayana Parayanam’, an Android-based mobile application through which users can read and also understand the Hindu epic.
V N Krishnachandran, VAST vice-principal and head of its MCA Department, has developed the app with the assistance of colleagues and students. The app provides audio, video and text versions of Ramayana. The team has used the Ramayana recital by Jyothi Pariyadath, a Palakkad-based blogger. Jyothi has recited different kandas (chapters) of Ramayana in a series of 25 videos on YouTube, which can be accessed via the app.
“An Internet connection is required to hear the Ramayana recitals. The text can be accessed offline,” Krishnachandran said. “Besides basic Ramayana recitals, we have included other texts like the biography of Thunchath Ezhuthachan. Unlike other online facilities, we have used the artwork by Balasaheb Pant – which were published in 1916 – to provide visualisation for the stories,” he said. Such innovations would fuel more youngsters to learn about the rich culture and legacy of the state and the country, he said.
Within three days of its launch in the Google Playstore, the app was downloaded by over 10,000 users.
The college authorities said they were planning to establish a centre for coordinating such activities that promoted the culture and heritage of the state, with the help of digital platforms and engineering students.
Over 10,000 users
Within three days of its launch in the Google Playstore, the app ‘Ramayana Parayanam’, an Android-based mobile application, was downloaded by over 10,000 users.