Thread by @veejaysai

Another busy and beautiful morning at the Sree Raghavapuram Sabhayogam Brahmaswam Vedapatashala in Kerala. They are doing some brilliant work! More about that later. Will do a thread.

Listen to these little Vadyaars now...🙏☺️

Since many friends have asked, I thought I will put out this thread. ☺️🙏 Shall tell you about this beautiful Patashala called Sree Raghavapuram Sabhayogam. The only Veda Patashala in the north side of Kerala. It is important to know their brief history. ☺️🙏

Sree Raghavapuram Sabhayogam is a cultural body of the Brahmin community of Perinchellur Gramam in North Kerala. They have a history going back to 793 AD!

I won't go into where Namboodiris hailed from. That is another long discussion! And that isn't the focus of this thread ☺️

The Kolathiri king Udayavarman invited 237 families of vedic priests from Gokarna in Karnataka and settled them in five provinces. Their forefathers migrated from the banks of the Godavari river in Andhra to Gokarna, centuries ago.

In Kerala, they were called 'Saagaras'. ☺️🙏

Apart from these five provinces, the king donated to these Saagaras, the Cheruthazham Sree Raghavapuram Sree Rama Temple.

The Moola moorthi of Lord Rama here is made from 1008 Salagramas! ☺️🙏

For centuries, the Sree Raghavapuram Sabhayogam was the arbiter of all worldly and spiritual matters for everyone. ☺️🙏

The community was thriving. So many Vedic yagnas, major homams were performed regularly. It was like a dream!

Then one day everything changed!

The tyrant of Mysore, Tipu Sultan attacked the region in the second half of the 18th century. Plundered the place. Murdered hundreds of poor Hindus, forcibly converted many more to Islam under threat.

Several Saagaras families fled down south to Travancore region.

After the dark phase, few families returned and started life all over again. But this time there was a lot of difference. Under new rulers, everything had changed! They felt unwelcome in what was once their own homeland!

We can see a similar pattern with Kashmiri pandits now.

Further ahead, it took a while for many Namboodiris to get together to restart their lives. Most didn't have even basic resources for their families. Let alone to feed others. A few generous veterans sold their properties and with that money, they decided to do something dharmik.

Hari Namboodiri came from a long family lineage of priests and scholars. Like many other youngsters of this generation, he studied, took up a job in Reliance and other companies in Bombay. But he kept getting bothered about not being able to do anything to save his Vedic legacy

One day he decided to quit his well-paying job, cut off everything and return to his roots. Takes a lot of guts these days! He went back to his ancient village and dared to do something that nobody could think of in the last 200 years. Open a Veda Patashala with whatever he saved

Initially everyone was hesitant to send their children. Were there enough teachers? Especially those who could teach their own ancient style of chanting. What would they expect? After that, to convince parents that children could pursue their own Vritti Dharmam. Without fear!

The ugly communist revolution didn't spare the community in the 1940s. Many Namboodiris were brainwashed towards a new lifestyle, English education and against following their own age-old customs.

Yogakshema sabha lead by VT Bhattathiripad and EMS, did a lot more damage.

There were still a few Dharmik veterans who were around to guide a youngster like Hari. One of them is the 97 year old Guru Pacha Vadhyan Madhavan Namboodiri. He had survived through all the horrible political turmoil of North Kerala! Silently preserved Vedic practices 🙏

He hailed from a long lineage of Yajurveda Namboodiris, studied and preserved a lot of the ancient way of chanting Vedam. Finally Hari saw some light and began training with him.

Listen to this veteran Guru reciting an excerpt from the Durga Suktam here. ☺️🙏

With his help Hari managed to gather few more Namboodiri families and there was more support for his cause! Many parents were willing to send their children to pursue Veda Abhyasam. The temple offered their premises initially for some time. Later they shifted the Patashala out.🙏

They currently have five to six Vidyarthis per teacher and Vedam classes are going on smoothly. Several generous people sent donations to keep this going. ☺️🙏

It has been only a little more than a couple of years and the Vidyarthis have shown remarkable improvement in their Veda Abhyasam. ☺️🙏

They now participate in group chanting common Shanti Mantrams during Homams conducted at the Patashala.

Check them chanting Shanti Mantrams during one such Homam. ☺️🙏

So amazing to see this revitalization of an ancient tradition! ☺️🙏

When they are not participating in these Homams, they are busy in their day to day Abhyasam with their Gurus. How blessed! ☺️🙏

When the teachers aren't teaching, they are doing their own Abhyasam. Check this Krama Patham. ☺️🙏

Earlier in February, the Swamiji of the Munchira Madom visited the Patashala and blessed the Vidyarthis. A short video from that time. Observe how the Swamiji is so taken by their Bhakti. ☺️🙏

Hari has inspired everyone around! Now even seniors come on weekends and learn Vedam. ☺️🙏

Sorry about the side angle of this! That's what I got!

The gods must be smiling and blessing from above! North meets South. A joint Veda Pathanam of the Vidyarthis of Raghavapuram Sabhayogam and the ancient Brahmaswom Madom in Thrissur. ☺️🙏

The land of Adi Shankara slowly revitalizing itself. Dharma continues to survive...

That is a very determined young Hari Namboodiri! The man behind all this! 🙏 Plans to open another Patashala in Thiruvananthapuram! I asked him what about funds? "I have left that responsibility to Lord Sree Rama! He is taking care of everything!",he said

यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः ☺️🙏

When Hari isn't busy with the Patashala activities, he and his brilliant team of young teachers are wading through hundreds of rare old palmleaf manuscripts that many families are giving them. They are on all subjects, from Veda to Darshanas to Jyotishya, Ganita and Itihasam.🙏

Those are very dedicated Vidyarthis of the Sree Raghavapuram Sabhayogam Veda Patashala. Would you like to help Hari in his journey towards protection of an ancient tradition from dying?

Without your generous support, Hari wouldn't be able to continue this great work! 🙏

Here are the details of their funding requirements. Their bank account details are included too. Hari's number and email are there too, for those of you who want to call and speak. No amount is less! Please help them!

Circulate this across widely and spread the good word. 🙏☺️

Our very own @Gopalee67 ji visited them in January. He can vouch for the wonderful work they are doing! ☺️🙏

https://twitter.com/Gopalee67/status/1208371194405085184?s=19

Hari ji sent me images of @Gopalee67 ji's visit which they all remember very fondly! ☺️🙏

Some more beautiful images from the Sree Raghavapuram Sabhayogam Brahmaswam Vedapatashala! ☺️🙏

Another wonderful fact I forgot to mention!! The famous temple of Lord Badrinath dham take Namboodiri priests or Rawal jis only from here! 🙏☺️

Sri Rawalji Eswaraprasad Namboodiri of Sri Badarinath Dham belongs to the same village. He visited the Patashala last year 🙏☺️

Seeing Hari's wonderful work, Sri Kilimanoor Ramavarma Thamburan invited him to open another Patashala in Thiruvananthapuram. Thamburan is a descendant of the famous painter Raja Ravi Varma. ☺️🙏

The new Patashala is proposed to open in the Kilimanoor palace premises. ☺️🙏

A few of the Patashala students visited the Kilimanoor palace on the invitation of the descendants of Raja Ravi Varma. This is the hall where he supposedly painted a lot of his famous works. The walls are full of his works!

Amazing! 🤩🤩🤩