Thread by @PrernaThiruvaip

In 1941, the founder of Dravida Kazhagam Political Party in Tamilnadu E.V.Ramaswamy Naikar led an atheistic movement with hatred towards Lord Sri Rama. He led a procession on the main roads of Madras, insulting the scripture Sri Ramayana by tearing & burning it at cross roads.

https://twitter.com/RamaNamaKshetra/status/1423041358034526209

ATONEMENT Srimannarayanacharyulu was deeply hurt by the heinous act of that political leader and his followers. He wanted to perform a propitiatory act to cleanse the hatred in the minds of people and refill them with the glory of Sri Ramayana.

He conducted a big procession chanting Sri Ramayana on the same roads where it had been insulted. Very few dared to join this event.

Then Srimanna:ra:yana:cha:ryulu took almost 300 scholars from Telugu states and conducted a big program Sri Rama Krathu, from 30-3-1949 to 8-4-1949. 8-4-1949. Initially the locals did not offer support for fear of political threat.

No Chowltries were ready to accommodate them. Yet the programme continued for three days. Gradually, realising the divine intent, people joined to make Sri Rama Krathu a grand SUCCESS.

Srimannarayanacharyulu built a silver pillar with Sri Ramayana inscribed on it as an insignia of that Krathu. Later this became the lead to conduct 108 Sri Rama Krathus continuously throughout the country and also in Nepal during 1960s.

As an atonement for the misdeeds by EVR Naikar, HH Swamiji conducted an unbroken chain of Sri Ra:ma Krathus throughout the country and filled the hearts of people with pure devotion towards Sri Rama.

He conducted 108 Krathus continuously each for 27 days, from the year 1960 until 1969, offering ghee oblations in the fire with each sloka of Sri Ramayanam. Each krathu was started on the asterism of Punarvasu, the birth star of Lord Sri Rama, which comes once in every month.

Agni, the fire that was invoked on the first day of first krathu was kept alive with HH Swamiji for nine years unceasingly to conduct all krathus. It was carried along, to wherever he traveled. It is more than a miracle!!

The first Sri Rama Maha Krathu was commenced in Nadigaddapalem, Sri Vasudasa Asramam from 9-1-1960.

The 100th Sri Rama Krathu took place in Bhadrachalam with three sthupas where Dasaradhi Sathakam in Sanskrit and Telugu also were engraved.

The 106th and 107th stupas were constructed in Alivelu Mangapuram & Tirupathi and the 108th Sri Rama krathu was performed in Tirumala Hills, amidst 108 Yajna kundas. Circumambulation of this sthupa is equivalent to visiting all the 108 sthupas.