Latest news with #SreeSankaracharyaUniversityofSanskrit
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Poykayil Appachan, a symbol of anti-war sentiment in Kerala
KOZHIKODE: The Iran-Israel conflict and subsequent developments in West Asia have forced pacifists across the world to take to the streets to remind all of the unspeakable horrors of wars. The global media, too, is abuzz with images of anti-war protesters yelling an emphatic 'NO' to all sorts of conflicts. However, not many remember a similar situation in a remote place in Kerala over a century ago, when people gathered for a peace rally during World War I. Not many remember Poykayil Appachan. 'While the First World War was brewing in Europe, a man named Poykayil Appachan, hailing from a section Kerala society deemed untouchable, led a peace rally in Travancore. At the time, untouchables were not even allowed to walk on public roads or temple roads. However, much before the Vaikom struggle for the right to enter temple roads, a leader of the socially excluded people of Kerala pioneered a peaceful protest against the World War,' said Ajay Sekhar, associate professor of English at Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady. This historic episode of Kerala's enlightenment struggles is worth recalling in the totalitarian and oligarchic times of pseudo-majoritarian cultural nationalism, linguistic parochialisms and fascism, he said. 'The peace procession led by Poykayil Appachan or Sree Kumara Guru was probably the first anti-war protest in modern Kerala history. The event took place near Kulathoor in Pathanamthitta in 1914, but the exact date and month are not available,' said V V Swami, who wrote a book on Appachan. The 86th death anniversary of Appachan will be observed at Eraviperoor in Pathanamthitta on June 29.
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Mohiniyattam researcher Amith K's ‘Tribute to Chinnammu Amma' recital seeks to stir conversations on 'class' and the classical
For decades, Mohiniyattam has been presented through a 'classical' lens — polished, codified, and Brahminised. And all the while, it has often obscured the realities of those who shaped its earlier iterations. Mohiniyattam dancer, choreographer and researcher Amith K always felt that gap, especially while looking back to trace the beginnings of this art form. A PhD graduate from Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, Amith has always been interested in exploring the nuanced intersections of caste, culture, gender, and history within Kerala's performing arts. His latest project ventures deeper, into the forgotten lineage of women practitioners whose contributions have been sidelined or erased in dominant narratives. 'When I started focusing on the women practitioners in Kerala, I realised how many gaps exist in Mohiniyattam's recorded history,' Amith explains. 'Even at Kerala Kalamandalam, where the form was institutionalised, the stories we hear about early Mohiniyattam are vague at best. Nobody talks about who the women dancers really were or why their names disappeared.'
The Hindu
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Sanskrit varsity to publish rank list on June 16
The rank list for admission to the four-year undergraduate and diploma programmes of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, will be published on Monday (June 16, 2025). Interviews for undergraduate programmes in Sanskrit, Music, Dance, and Fine Arts will be held from June 21 to 24. Classes will commence on July 1, according to a release.
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Time of India
Police start evidence collection in marriage fraud case
Thiruvananthapuram: Aryanad police, probing the marriage fraud case, on Thursday took accused Reshma, 30, to Parandodu for evidence collection. From there, the probe team went to Mahila Mandiram in Kollam, where she lived for over one year in 2023. In the coming days, she will be taken to CMS College, Kottayam, and Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, where she claimed to have completed her graduation and post-graduation, for evidence collection. She will also be taken to places from where she reportedly married multiple men, police said. The team will also take Reshma to the house of a Kollam native with whom she lived for more than two years. Kanjiramattom native Reshma was arrested by Aryanad police on May 6, two hours before her marriage to Aneesh C, 35, a Parandodu ward member. Aneesh had spotted her wedding card with another person's name and some certificates in her bag. During a preliminary probe, police found that she was married multiple times and also has a daughter. Police registered a cheating case against her for trying to marry Aneesh while concealing her marital status and motherhood. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
New Indian Express
31-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Maharaja's College @150: Time to reclaim the 'regal' glory
Highs & lows There was a time when the campus was celebrated for its excellence in every sphere. 'It was a campus where healthy socio-political dialogues happened,' recalls Yusuf K A, former registrar of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady. 'Political differences used to be settled through fierce dialogues and discussions. I remember after arriving on the campus as a young student, we felt as if being beckoned by the positive energy left behind by the stalwarts who had walked the soil before us.' Former Nabard chief general manager C P Mohan, who studied at the college from 1972 to 1975, believes he was 'fortunate' to have experienced its 'golden era'. 'Those days, it was every student's dream to study at Maharaja's. Those were the times when several literary doyens visited the campus for kavi arangus (poetry sessions) and street plays. Academics, literature, arts and culture thrived. It helped build a living society.' Prasanna K, former principal of Manimalakunnu Government College, who studied at Maharaja's for 7 years and later taught economics there for 12 years, gushes similar views. 'The years that I spent at the college as a student and then as a teacher were the best,' she says. 'I saw raw talents blossom. They got honed and polished. The campus was not all about academic excellence, but making a better person out of the students through positive interaction among the peers.' However, over time, the campus lost some of its sheen. Instead of headlines celebrating the college's achievements — including high ranks in the National Institutional Ranking Framework — stories of campus violence and administrative mismanagement began to dominate the media. 'Sad but true,' says Prasanna. To reclaim the glory, she suggests involving former teachers as mentors. 'I am not a big fan of politics. But that being said, it is always good for the students to have political awareness. All political parties should come together for the good of the institution and welfare of students,' she adds. Today, many students appear more involved in furthering the interests of their political parties. Studies should not take the backseat. This applies to all colleges.' Mohan believes this is all part of a cycle. 'As times change, it brings with it a lot of changes. And when changes happen, we can say that degradation also happens along with,' he says. 'Changes are cyclic. It is just a wave. This one, too, will pass. And the onus for it lies on the government and the authorities concerned.' According to Yusuf, political strife existed in the past as well. 'However, today, with the advent of social media, instead of the positive things happening on the campus, all the negatives are being highlighted,' he says. 'Also, you must note that, earlier, the cream of the crop used to seek admission to Maharaja's. Now, students have more options to choose from – institutions with much better infrastructure and placement opportunities.' Filmmaker Amal Neerad, an alumnus, slams the government: 'How can an institution not undergo degradation when nothing is being done for its betterment?' he fumes. He is particularly upset about parts of the campus being 'chopped' and allocated for other development projects. Censuring the neglect, he adds: 'This is a campus that has the potential to become the Harvard of Kerala or India.'
