About Jatayu Rama Temple
As the saying “Better late than never” goes, the time has come to explore the route Lord Rama and his entourage followed in Kerala. Revival and rejuvenation of all spots related to Sri Rama in the state is the need of the hour. Making all these spots as centres for spreading the message of Sri Ram to the masses should acquire importance. It is with this objective the Jatayu Rama Temple on the Jatayu rock is being constructed along with an international Sri Rama Cultural centre in the lap of the rock below the temple.
The Rama temple on the Jatayupara is constructed not because that there is any scarcity of Rama temples in the state. But because of the ideals for which Jatayu stood for, such as, the moral values of life, and the ideal worth following and the staunch devotion are the basis for raising a Rama temple here. Thus, it has to be developed as the main hub for percolating the message from the life of Sri Rama to the whole world and to spread the meaning of Rama Rajya. For achieving these objectives an action plan has been drawn up.
The changing religious demography of the state also beacons the necessity to spread Sri Rama culture.The state has, of late, been witnessing significant changes in its religious demography with a sharp decline in the population of the Indian Religionists. Such a scenario has emerged as a result of the high level of tolerance and hospitality (Atithi Devo Bhava) practiced by the Hindus as their culture. The demographic change has reached such an alarming stage that this phenomenon has deprived the Hindus of installing a statue of the Father of the Malayalam language, Thunchath Ezhuthachan even at his birth place in Tirur Town in Northern Kerala.
Path Of Rama In Kerala
Kerala has been witness to a number of historical events right from the ancient times and one among them was the travel across the state by Sri Ramachandra. The legendary spots reminisce the people of the ever lasting memories of Sri Rama’s sojourn in Kerala during the Lord’s forest stay.
The role played by the Devotional (Bhakti) movement in Kerala’s renaissance is very important. Sri Rama hymns sung as “Rama katha songs” have percolated in the psyches and minds of the people and that in turn has paved the way for emotional unity. Ramanattam, reciting of Rama hymns and Rama story-telling etc., has shared earthly experience of spiritualism.
With a land area of 38,863 sq:km stretching 580 km in length and 30.130 km in breadth, the state forms only 1.2 per cent of the total area of India (3,287,263 sq. km). Three percent of the country’s population inhabits this land of incredible scenic beauty with a history of spiritualism and social and religious renaissance. Social injustices, social in-equalities and the resultant vices that plagued the society have been removed to a great extent by the Bhakti movement which has united the masses on the basis of spiritualism.
The “Parashurama Kshetra” as Kerala is known from time immemorial, lying almost in the lap of the Western Ghats (Sahyadri) in the East and frequently patted by the waves of the Arabian sea in west, is a short and narrow stretch of land in the Indian peninsula. It carries a spiritual and virtuous history of traditions and heritage peculiar to Kerala. The long time memories of the past lies in hibernation in each grit of the soil here. It has become the duty and rather responsibility of each of us to unravel and introduce them to the present generation.
A glance across the state would reveal that at each place lively memories of the past events still remains in the minds and psyches of the masses. The aesthetic enjoyments shared by the festivities, artistic presentations and inherited expressions all reflect the vivacity of our rich culture.
