Janmashtami, the birthday of Bhagwan Sreekrishna, was celebrated in all pageant and gaiety throughout Kerala, on September, 6, 2023, under the auspices of Balagokulam, the Sangh-inspired children’s organization. About 6,500 shobhayatras were carried out in the state. More than 1.5 lakhs children in the attire of Sreekrishna, Gopika and other epic characters participated in them. Nearly 3.5 lakhs men and women accompanied the infant Krishnas, Gopikas, Naradas, Vasudev, Yeshodha, Sudhama and so on. Tableaus of killing of Kamsa, Mahabharatha War, Geetopadesha, Sudhama’s visit to Sreekrishna, etc. added the elegance of the Yatras as in the past. The accompanying men were clad in saffron mundu, the Kerala dhothi.
Children dressed up as the epic characters danced in the shobhayatras. Uriyadi is another attraction. Uriyadi is breaking the hanging pots to mark ‘breaking the hanging pots by Sreekrishna to steal the butter during his childhood’. Children sit on the shoulders of the youths and break the hanging pots, with sticks, in the streets. They are filled with chocolates. (Uri means hanging pot in Malayalam)
Several important personalities flagged off the shobhayatras in different parts of the state. Swami Poornamruthananda Puri (Global General Secretary of Matha Amruthanandamayi Mat), Matinee idol and BJP leader Suresh Gopi (ex MP), Bhima Jewellery Chairman (Thiruvananthauram) Dr. B. Govindan, Vishnu Mohan, cine director and national award winner, popular actress Rachana Narayanankutty, former DRDO scientist Dr. Anil Raghavan, world famous dancer Gayathri Subramaniam, cine artist Gokul Suresh are some of them.
This time, the theme of the Janmashtami celebrations is “Akalatte Lahari, Unaratte Moolyavum Baalyavum” meaning “Keep Away from Intoxication, Wake Up Values and Childhood”. It is in the light of the growing influence of drugs and promotion of its business and transactions in the state. Recently several consignments of fatal chemical MDMA worth thousands of crores of rupees have been confiscated. More and more reports of consumption of drugs among the children below 12 or 13 are alarming in the state.
Balagokulam has been an active children’s organization since its very inception in 1970s. It was started as a column for membership in the Sangh-inspired Kesari Malayalam weekly. Gokulam is the place where Sreekrishna blossomed into a divine incarnation hence the name of Balagokulam. Since the last half a century, it is the largest children’s organization in the entire world.
Weekly classes on Bharatiya culture and epics, Bhagavat Gita, the duties of the citizens in general and children in particular are routine activities of Balagokulam. A rakshadhikari (patron), a knowledgeable personality in the locality, narrates stories of moral values from the epics and history. He (or she) carries out house contacts of the participating children and maintain excellent rapport with their parents so that they are able to mould their character and academic caliber. The organisation conducts several activities like programmes on cultural heritage of the country. Amritha Bharati, an offshoot of Balagokulam conducts examination, on every Deepali day, on subjects pertaining to Bharatiya culture and epics. People cutting across age, class and religion participate in the examination in large numbers across world.
Presentation of Janmashtami Puraskar is a prestigious award distributed every year in connection with Janmashtami celebrations. It is presented to the personalities who devote their life for promoting the mission of Sreekrishna and propagating the ideals he (Krishna) stood for. Prominent poets, writers, spiritual personalities and social workers par excellence are selected as awardees. This time the award was accorded to Swami Adhyatmananda Saraswati, head of Sambodh foundation. It was presented by Hon. Goa Governor Adv. P.S. Sreedharan Pillai in the presence of no less a person than Matha Amruthanandamayi Devi aka Amma. It was the 27th award. Swamiji declared on the same dais that the award money of Rs 50,001 would be donated to Margadarshak Mandal, a body of Hindu monks under the auspices of VHP. Amma and late P. Parameshwarji are among the recipients of the Puraskar in the past.
Mayilppeeli is a magazine published by Balagokulam to impart recreation and knowledge to the children simultaneously. Mailppeeli is the Malayalam word for peacock feather. Balasahitee Prakashan is Balagokulam’s publishing house which brings out books and booklets on Bharatiya culture and history. Antharashtra Sreekrishna Kendra (International Sreekrishna Kendra) is a dream project of M.A. Krishnan, Balagokulam founder and senior Sangh Pracharak. It is being constructed in Thrishur district. It is for promoting Sreekrishna Dharma. Balasamskara Kendra is another centre of Balagokulam which conducts regular Vigyan Yatras, cultural programmes, Navrathri celebrations, etc. Samrakshika is a trust constituted for the protection of children’s rights and protecting them from the challenges they face in their life.
The aforementioned activities of Balagokulam has been lauded by all right thinking people from all over the country as well as abroad. That is why the organization is spreading its wings in all cities of Bharat and world over. Janmashtami shobhayatras are taking place in all cities in the country and major cities abroad. New York, London, Nairobi, Melbourne are some of the foreign cities to mention in this regard.
Balagokulam bagged the prestigious Chandrasekhar Azad Award last year. It has been instituted by the Government of Madhya Pradesh.
Balgokulam had been invited by the Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC) to participate in its international conclaves. GNRC is an organization under the auspices of Arigatou Foundation, Tokyo. It works with UN agencies, NGOs, grassroots child rights workers and children. It stands for children’s rights too. A Balagokulam functionary had attended the conclaves held in Tokyo and Geneva. The conclave had included in its agenda the resolution passed by Balagokulam regarding children’s right. Balagokulam resolution called for Shishudharma Commission.
Shobhayatras are part and parcel of Janmashtami celebrations since 1977. It has become a social festival of the state. People from all walks of life cutting across all sorts of discriminations. Even children belonging to Christian and Muslim parents also participate in the shobhayatras. This time a physically challenged Muslim child Mohammed Yahiya participated in the shobhayatra, sitting in a wheelchair, in Bilathikkulam, Kozhikode. His grandmother told the media that he loves to participate since herself and his parents dressed him up and brought for the shobhayatra. Mohammed, a class three student, told the media that he had taken part in the shobhayatra last year also.
This time number of participants have increased despite rains. Organisers told this correspondent that the number of participants might have increased if the weather was bright. Leaders and workers of Sangh-inspired organisations also participated in the shobhayatras. The increase in the attendance should be viewed in the wake of the recent blasphemous statements of A.N. Shamseer, Kerala Assembly Speaker and CPM leader, against Lord Ganesh and his allegations that Hindu culture promotes myths and it does not support ‘scientific temper’.
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