Ramayana Masam രാമായണ മാസം
Karkidakam, the heart of the monsoon, is kept in Kerala homes as Ramayana Masam, a month of daily reading from the Adhyatma Ramayanam.
| Year | Occasion | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Karkidakam 1 (reading begins) | |
| 2026 | Last day of Karkidakam | |
| 2027 | Karkidakam 1 (reading begins) | |
| 2027 | Last day of Karkidakam |
Calculated for Thiruvananthapuram with sidereal (Lahiri) positions. Temple and devaswom announcements take precedence.
The month
Karkidakam runs from mid-July to mid-August, when the southwest monsoon is at its heaviest. Older generations called it panja masam, the month of want, because farm work stopped and food stores ran low. The month took on a devotional and restorative character.
The reading
Each evening a lamp is lit and a portion of Adhyatma Ramayanam Kilippattu is read aloud. This is the Malayalam retelling by Thunchath Ezhuthachan, who is regarded as the father of modern Malayalam. The reading is paced to finish on the last day of Karkidakam.
Nalambalam darshan
During the month many pilgrims visit four temples dedicated to Rama and his brothers on a single day:
- Thriprayar (Sri Rama)
- Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam (Bharata)
- Moozhikkulam (Lakshmana)
- Payammal (Shatrughna)
There is also a southern Nalambalam circuit in Kottayam district.
Karkidaka kanji
The monsoon month is also the season for Ayurvedic rejuvenation. Many homes and restaurants make karkidaka kanji, a rice gruel cooked with medicinal herbs, and Ayurveda centres run monsoon treatment packages.
Questions
What is read during Ramayana Masam?
Adhyatma Ramayanam Kilippattu by Thunchath Ezhuthachan, the Malayalam Ramayana.
When does Ramayana Masam start?
On Karkidakam 1, usually 16 or 17 July.