Mass recital of devotional poem in Thrissur enters Guiness record

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Mass Recital of Poem in Kerala Enters Guinness Records

Mass recital of 'Njanappana', a devotional poem written by the 16th century Malayalm poet Poonthanam, has found place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The event, attended by a total of 46,660, was organised by the state chapter of the Art of Living Foundation in front of the well-known "Vadakkunnathan" Temple in Thrissur district earlier this year.

According to the website of the Guinness World Records, "The most people reading aloud simultaneously at a single location is 46,660 and was organised by the Art Of Living Foundation (India) at the Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur on February 2, 2014."

The organisers claimed that it was for the first time in the world that a book was being recited by such a number of people together.

'Njanappana' was selected for the recitation to create awareness about its significance among common people, they said.

A certificate by the Guinness authorities will be handed over to state Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in a function later, they said.

 

[Naina_Marbus]

Considered as the Bhagavad Gita of Malayalees , Jnanappana (song of wisdom) is a devotional poem written in simple Malayalam by the 16th century Malayalam poet Poonthanam Namboothiri , as a devotional prayer to Guruvayoorappan .

Jnanappana is noted for its literary quality and the use of simple phrases, consists of 360 lines of verse , which draws out the cosmic acts of Krishna through the web of karma.

In the Jnanappana, Poonthanam Namboothiri transforms his unbearable sorrow from his infant son’s death into a yogavishesham.

The line "unnikrishnan manasil kalikumbol,unnikal mattu venamo makkalai" ( translated as “When the baby Krishna plays in one's mind, does one need one's own children?”) expresses the poet's grief at the death of his child and his deep devotion to Guruvayurappan even in that grief-stricken state.