During the Malayalam month of Karkidakam, the sacred book of Ramayana is recited in many Hindu households. Interestingly, during this time, there is a growing curiosity surrounding a cute masterpiece – the world’s smallest Ramayana.
Attur Santhosh Kumar, a native of Puranatukara, Thrissur, has crafted the world’s first micro-abbreviated Ramayana. The five mm long and wide Kunjan book contains a summary of 24,000 verses of the Ramayana.
Readable with a lens, this ithirikunhan inspires curiosity along with devotion. Measuring just 5 mm in length and 5 mm in width, this tiny masterpiece is gaining immense popularity.
The first pages of the Ramayana begin with the 51 letters from ‘A’ to ‘Ra’ in the Malayalam language. In 201 pages with three words per page, the summary has been prepared in a way that suits the characters and the context without leaking the essence.
Santosh Kumar, who runs his own printing press, ventured into book creation during the last corona pandemic period. His dedication and hard work over the past three years culminated in this compact creation, now available to readers.
For those who cannot read with lenses, a miniature version is thoughtfully provided. Additionally, Santhosh Kumar has authored another book titled ‘Shatrughna Maunam,’ offering his independent interpretations of Shatrughna’s character in the Ramayana.